Kid Icarus: The Great War
by Sentinel07
Summary: 2 years have passed since the events of Uprising. Upon investigating a weird disturbance, Pit soon finds himself in another large battle. This time, Pit will be pushed to his limits as he encounters new beings that aren't as simple as they seem. Will Pit be able to protect everyone? Adventure, action, and drama wait in this new tale. ***See profile for info on future updates***
1. Prologue: Dark days ahead

**Hello folks! It's Sentinel07! Hard to believe, but after reading fics here for a couple years, I've decided to finally try my hand at one myself. One can only wonder how well it will go, but I'm optimistic about it.**

**With Kid Icarus becoming a huge favorite of mine after Uprising, I've decided that will be my first writing attempt. Truth be told, this was kind of born from a story idea I had for a sequel to Uprising. So I decided that I might as well do something about it.**

**Now, some pointers. Since Kid Icarus makes fun of and uses many different mythologies, I will be using ideas for any kind I can think of, so don't go crazy if you see things like Norse mythology and whatnot. It is a fantasy world after all. There will also be the occasional video game and anime/manga references that I imagine people will like.**

**There is more to say, but how about we get into the story's beginning, shall we? I will say more in the bottom section.**

**Now, as I imagine I have to say, I don't own Kid Icarus or any video game or anime referenced in this fic. They all belong to their respective owners.**

**Now let the adventure begin!**

**(BEGIN)**

**Prologue: Dark times ahead**

Like many things, time stops for no one. It flows like a river, never stopping or changing along its path. There are those who flow along with the tide, never letting one event or occurrence slow them down. Then, there are those who can't keep with the flow. They end up getting left behind, eventually forgotten by time itself.

There is one such place where time has no effect. A place that rules over time itself. A world nearly made out of nothingness. The beings that inhabited this strange world could hardly be compared to that of a normal being. In a dark world, where time had no meaning, there was no sense of daily activity, no sense of true life. Such is the nature of beings that transcend normal life and live through the eons.

At the top of this black and blue world, a white palace stood, overlooking all from above. The palace, composed of a simple design with a large clock tower towering above, welcomed all who entered it to oblivion. The clock tower ruled all in this world, mostly due to its master.

Inside the tower sat a lone figure. A god of incredible power. His gaze was always set forward, peering over his realm. His grizzled face was that of no emotion, fitting for one who ruled over the fabric of space and time. The staff in his hands, resembling a clock on its top, was brimming with light blue energy.

The being sighed, and turned to his left to a bowing figure.

"Eldran, what do you make of this?"

The figure, known as Eldran, was silver in color, resembling an animal-like appearance to go along with his humanoid size. At his master's word, he looked out over the realm.

"It is your world sire. A world you crafted with your own hands." said Eldran. The master looked back over the land.

"Yes, it is true. However, it is but a pittance compared to the other world I helped craft." said the master.

"You refer to the world you helped create with Zeus?" pondered Eldran.

"Of course. A world that would have never come had I not granted it my power, one that gave it the law of time and space." Said the master.

"Agreed sire. Your realm was meant to be more than this. This one realm is not enough, even though it is completely ruled by your powers." said Eldran.

The master rose from his chair, walking out and looking above the dark realm.

"Have you brought back what I requested?" he suddenly asked. Eldran bowed again.

"Of course sire. The report on that human world. It recently went through a great war with the Lord of the Underworld. Supposedly Palutena's Army. The Underworld Army, and even the Forces of Nature were involved in this battle," Eldran reported, his stance not wavering in the slightest. "In the end, the Lord of the Underworld was destroyed."

The master grumbled at the news, yet he also chuckled darkly as if amused. "Humph, Hades could never resist a good battle. Now you say that the Forces of Nature were involved too?"

"Yes. Apparently the Goddess of Nature, Viridi, sparked part of the war by dropping one of her Reset Bombs on a human settlement during another human war. Soon after though, she joined with the Goddess Palutena to defeat Hades. Another point I should mention is that Hades was ultimately defeated by Palutena's young captain, Pit." Eldran continued.

The master stood silent as Eldran's information sunk in.

"Sounds like the humans and the gods are as radical as ever. I knew that only my way could bring true order to the world." The master grumbled.

"As you say sire. Your forces are always at the ready." Eldran bowed again.

"I would expect no less. Make sure that doesn't change. Soon, Skyworld and the Overworld will remember the Forces of Time." said the master as he returned to his seat, a dark grin on his face.

"Of course, Lord Kronos."

**(END)**

**Phew, well there is your Prologue. What do you guys think? I won't plead for reviews or say that I need a certain amount to continue, but any insight on my chapters would be welcome. This is my first after all, and I'd like to do Kid Icarus justice.**

**Now, something I'm doing for fun is that, at the bottom of each chapter, I will post a character bio, saying things about that character's appearance, what they're like, and even a Japanese and English voice because I'm weird like that. It helps me with the mental image, so I hope it can do the same for you. So, how about we start the first bio with our main character himself and his "evil" twin (since they're mostly the same after all):**

*******Pit and Dark Pit*******

**Age: 13 in appearance**

**Appearance: Pretty much the same as Uprising, except they have grown perhaps an inch or two.**

**Japanese seiyu: Minami Takayama**

**English VA: Antony Del Rio**

**Bio: After the war with Hades, Pit has continued on with being the captain of Palutena's guard. He's still the light-hearted young angel we all know and love, and taking all the chances he has to mess with his "twin" Dark Pit. He's also quite ecstatic about his small gain in height. Dark Pit is virtually the same, and has often wandered around since losing his power of flight. Still the same sarcastic twin we know and love.  
**

*******End bio*******

**Well, I guess that's that. Take note of that review button down below and let me know if you love it, like it, or just plain hate it. I'll even answer any reviews I can in the next chapter. Until then, this is Sentinel07 signing out!**


	2. Chapter 1: An Ordinary Day

**Hello again everyone! Since the first chapter was just a prologue, I decided to do the next chapter soon. **

**First of all, thanks a bunch to Sicomba and kirbystarwarrior for being the first to review. I thank you both and hope I don't disappoint. As for your review kirbystarwarrior, yeah the Prologue is kind of short, but it was kind of supposed to be. Most chapters will be longer.  
**

**Also, as a note, here are some points about the format:**

_Italics means a characters' personal thoughts_

_**Bold and Italics refers to quotes using telepathy (like with Palutena)**_

**As usual, I own nothing except any OC's I come with, of which I have a few. **

**(BEGIN)**

**Chapter 1: An Ordinary Day**

_In Skyworld_

Dark Pit could say that he found Skyworld to be a tolerable place to live, perhaps even comfortable if you got him on a good day. It was pretty much a step up from all the other places he had been to, and he actually had enjoyable moments from time to time.

This wasn't one of those moments.

"Again today I will go soaring through the sky! My enemies I'll dish 'em up in a stir-fry!"

Dark Pit grumbled in frustration as he waited outside the bathroom with a towel in hand. It was well into the morning now and he as well as Pit had just finished up some training with the Centurions. Unfortunately for him, Pit made it to the bathroom first, causing Dark Pit to wait through his off-key singing.

"Gracious goddess of light, watches from up above! At dinner time, I always show the cook some love!"

"BLAST IT PIT-STAIN! STOP SINGING!" roared Dark Pit. Right as he said that, he heard fumbling, followed by falling, and was then followed by crashing and moaning. He smiled at the last part. A little bit later, the door opened, revealing a fully-clothed Pit, his messy and still-wet hair covered with a towel.

"Why'd you have to go and do that Pittoo?" questioned Pit. Dark Pit glared at him at mention of the nickname.

"How many times do I have to tell you to stop calling me that? In addition, your singing was annoying." he deadpanned at Pit.

"Ouch, that's harsh." said Pit, who walked out and allowed Dark Pit to have his turn.

_A little while later_

"You seem to be more exhausted than usual nowadays." commented Dark Pit. He and Pit were walking through Palutena's temple after their events in the shower.

"Yeah, Lady Palutena is really pushing me on the Centurions." said Pit, not too fond of it himself.

"Why is that?"

"Well, remember when Lady Palutena considering opening up a boot camp for the Centurions?" started Pit. Dark Pit nodded at his question. "Well, now she's taken it to heart, and she's having me try to toughen them up by any means necessary. It's really exhausting."

"You know, you could just not do it." suggested Dark Pit. Pit immediately shook his head.

"No way! I'm honored to do this for Lady Palutena. I can take a little exhaustion." said Pit, smiling as he flexed his arms. Dark Pit just rolled his eyes.

Since the war with Hades, Pit had continued his job as the captain of Palutena's guard. Of course, nowadays it seemed like he had more things on his schedule than ever. There was the rebuilding of Palutena's temple from the events with the Chaos Kin, which had taken a considerable amount of time and muscle, but they finally got it done recently.

Not only that, Pit also at times had to rendezvous with the Goddess of Nature, Viridi. Since the war, Pit and Palutena had more dealings with Viridi, and Pit was more often than not the go-between for them. By now, Pit considered Viridi to be a close friend, despite the young goddess' prickly demeanor. By this time, Viridi actually had her Reset Bomb Depots all rebuilt, which increased their watch on her, although she promised them that she wouldn't drop any more unless for good reason. Pit came to view Viridi as a really good person despite her attitude, which more often than not caused her to lash out at him with whatever was within arm's reach.

However, Pit hadn't met with Viridi for the past 6 months or so. Nobody knew what the young goddess was up to. Dark Pit, who sometimes stayed at her sanctuary, hadn't even gone there in some time.

Dark Pit for the most part wandered around after losing his ability to fly on his own. Despite this, he refused to serve anyone, as it wasn't in his nature. However, he generally had the Lightning Chariot to get around, since no one else really required it, although it took some convincing with Phosphora to do it.

In addition to all of this, both of the Pits had grown slightly. It was barely more than an inch or so though, although it was more than enough for celebration from Pit.

"You know, if you're that much against it, I have a new song." offered Pit.

"Sigh, fine." Dark Pit groaned. By the time Pit was clearing his throat, he already regretted it, because Pit was already beginning to dance to it.

"I'm too sexy for my shirt, too sexy for my…."

"HELL NO!"

**(LINE BREAK)**

"Haah! Ho! Hi-ya!"

Pit was practicing in the training room, using a regular fortune bow to practice with. During the war, Pit used a variety of weapons, but he still preferred his trusty bow. He kept his Sacred Bow of Palutena ready for any missions he had.

Speaking of which…

**"_Pit! Pit come in!"_**

"Ah, Lady Palutena!" Pit cried out, hearing her telepathic message.

**"_Pit, I need you to come see me as soon as you can."_**

"Be there in a flash, Lady Palutena!" Pit saluted. Putting the fortune bow away, Pit ran out of the room, making his way towards the central hall where Palutena awaited him. Knowing his way around, Pit found the room easily, finding Palutena in said room. He ran over to her, falling on one knee and bowing. Dark Pit had apparently been called in too as he was there as well.

"Now Pit, you know by now that's not necessary." smiled Palutena.

"I know, but it's a sign of my respect for you." Pit defended himself.

"Well, that aside, I have a task for you." As she said that, Pit immediately stood straight up like a soldier awaiting a command.

"Yes ma'am!" Pit chirped out, making Dark Pit roll his eyes.

"Recently, I've noticed that the Underworld Army has been acting a little strange." Palutena started.

"Aren't they always strange?" Dark Pit shrugged.

"Maybe, but their recent behavior is unusual. The Underworld Army has been clustering in one area for a while now. I thought it would dissipate by now, but it hasn't. I wonder if it could be the work of the new leader of the Underworld." said Palutena with some worry.

Pit gave her a confused look. After Hades' defeat, he had heard nothing about how the Underworld was being handled.

"New leader?" Pit asked.

"Yes. Think of it this way Pit, there will always be something to command the Underworld Army. I've heard of its new leader, but haven't seen her face-to-face." Palutena explained. The mention of a "her" caught Pit's attention.

"The new leader is a girl?" asked Pit.

"Yes, someone they call the "Fell Warrior". Whoever she is, she must be formidable to command the army." explained Palutena. Pit gave her a curt nod.

"Understood. So you need me to investigate?" he inquired.

"Naturally. It's been a while since your last mission. This will be a good way to lose that extra fat you've been accumulating over the past 2 years." laughed Palutena.

"Hey, I'm not chubby. Have you seen these muscles? These sacred buns?" Pit flexed his muscles every which way, including the "sacred buns".

"There's something I wish I could erase from my memory." deadpanned Dark Pit. Palutena giggled a bit before reaching her hand out, a warm light coming out of it and forming into the Sacred Bow of Palutena.

"You'll be needing this. I imagine you know where the door is?" she asked.

"Yep, no problem!" cried Pit as he grabbed his bow. With a salute, Pit was on his feet and running towards the door in the back of the room.

"It's been a while since I've used the Power of Flight. Hope I'm not rusty." Palutena said to Dark Pit.

"Well, the fuel economy is as terrible as ever." he smirked at her.

Ignoring what they were saying, Pit ran up towards the door, wings spread out wide. At his approach, the doors opened, and Pit jumped out, launching himself into the sky as he felt the familiar Power of Flight through his wings.

"Sorry to keep you waiting, but Pit is back!"

**(END)**

**And there's Chapter 1 folks! Pit has received his mission and he's on his way, but what awaits him with the Underworld Army? We'll have to find out soon enough.**

**Now, for a new character bio, this time on the Goddess of Light herself:**

*******Palutena*******

**Age: 22 in appearance**

**Appearance: Exactly the same as Uprising. Not much to change.**

**Japanese seiyu: Aya Hisagawa**

**English VA: Ali Hillis**

**Bio: Palutena has remained virtually the same since the war. The only major difference is that she has invested more in trying to train the Centurions, mostly at Pit's expense.**

*******End bio*******

**As always, feel free to read and review, and I'll see you next chapter. Sentinel07, out!**


	3. Chapter 2: The Dread Reaper

**Hello people! Sentinel07 here with Chapter 2. Special thanks to Sicomba and ultimateCCC for their reviews!  
**

_Italics means a character's personal thoughts._

_**Bold and italics refers to quotes using telepathy**_

**Disclaimer: I don't own Kid Icarus or any other referenced video game or anime.**

**Chapter 2: The Dread Reaper**

"All right, what's my target?" asked Pit as he flew through the sky, heading towards his destination.

"_**There's an area called the Valley of Hope just a ways away. Quite a few Underworld troops have been running about there for some time. Something like this hasn't happened since Hades."**_explained Palutena through her magic.

"Nice name. Anyway, sounds good to me. Those Underworld troops are in for a butt whopping." Pit cried out. Boy did it feel good to be out in the field again. Pit was actually happy to be able to fight something other than a Centurion for once.

"_**Got your bow all ready?"**_ asked Dark Pit over the link.

"Check!"

"_**Powers?"**_

"All stacked."

"_**Animal Crossing underwear?"**_

"Got that to-Hey wait a minute!" Pit nearly lost control of his flight path at Dark Pit's question.

"_**Couldn't resist."**_ he chuckled while Pit groaned. How embarrassing was that, and in front of Lady Palutena of all people. Pit just knew that she was going to bring that up the very second he got back.

**(LINE BREAK)**

_Viridi's Sanctuary_

"Pit's heading towards the valley?"

Far away from Pit's location, Viridi's Sanctuary was situated in the Deep Forest, far away from any human settlement, which was pretty much how Viridi preferred it. Right now, the goddess was hearing the latest update from her commander, Arlon.

"Yes milady. Our scouts noticed young master Pit heading in the direction of the valley. I would assume he's been sent to find out what the Underworld Army is up to in that area." replied Arlon the Serene, one of the top commanders in the Forces of Nature.

Behind the curtain she was standing behind, Viridi sighed and brought a hand to her head. The little goddess had been going through a lot in the past two years. She had to devote many of her troops to rebuild her Reset Bomb Depots, and before that she had to practically beg Palutena to allow her too (she didn't really beg). She was able to convince them by deciding that she wouldn't cause any more trouble so long as the humans remained in check. As no more wars had broken out, she had no reason to bomb anyone.

"Sigh, that little angel always has a knack for getting into a fight. I hope he doesn't bite more than he can chew this time." Viridi sighed.

"I'm sure the young master is quite capable. If anyone would know, it's you. After all, he nearly singlehandedly defeated your army." Arlon reminded her.

"Thanks for the reminder." Viridi groaned at him. "Keep observing the area. If he starts to have trouble, you have permission to engage the enemy."

"Of course milady." Arlon replied. Before he turned around to leave though, he had more to say. "If I say so milady, you do seem to be quite concerned for young master Pit's welfare."

"T-That's not…." Viridi fumbled to reply. "It's just that someone needs to look out for that idiot. Keeping him alive is a necessity."

"I agree milady. But if I may say so, you have neglected to show yourself to him in months. Are you still "preparing", as you put it?"

Viridi could tell she was blushing as he said that. She had no idea how to reply to such a question. Arlon wasn't stupid. He was a commander for more than one reason. His ability to decipher what you're thinking was part of what made him a brilliant strategist.

"I bet they've all been worried about me since I've holed myself up in here. I suppose now is as good a time as any." said Viridi.

"You mean…?" started Arlon. Before he could finish, Viridi pulled the curtain aside.

"Arlon, we're leaving. At once!"

**(LINE BREAK)**

"Valley of Hope in sight!" called Pit from his aerial position.

From where he was flying, the Valley of Hope seemed to live up to its name. It was wide and winding, a beautiful spectacle that was untouched by humans. Natural caves lined the walls, which headed deep into the Earth.

"_**And just in time too. The 5 minutes was almost up."**_ said Palutena.

"Maybe I should the Lightning Chariot next time." Pit suggested.

Before anyone could answer, Pit soon heard sounds coming from the valley. As he got closer, he saw exactly what he thought: Underworld monsters raiding around the valley.

"Lady Palutena, it's the Underworld Army, just as you said."

"_**All right, I'm going to have you land close to them. From there, it's up to you to take them out if necessary."**_

"Understood!" Pit replied as he felt his wings glide downwards toward the ground. He gently landed as the Power of Flight faded from his wings. He grabbed his bow and readied an arrow. He ran towards the main part of the valley, hiding among the walls until he could get a good look.

"Hmm, it's hard to tell what they're up too. They're just flying around." said Pit. From his vantage point, he could tell that monsters of all kinds were there, from Specknoses to Vaklooms and everything in between.

"Got to approach them quietly." whispered Pit as he tried to move closer. However, as he did, loose rocks fell down around him, causing him to move back quickly against the wall, hoping that no one noticed him.

"Phew, that was close." Pit sighed. However, he soon felt a small poke on his back. Tensing up, he turned back to see a Specknose right behind him. He could swear he could feel a Metal Gear Solid exclamation point above his head.

"Uh oh."

The Specknose roared at him, signaling the other monsters to come around. It wasn't long before Pit was finding himself surrounded.

"You know, we can do this the easy way or the hard way." offered Pit. Regardless, the monsters began to charge him. "Hard way it is then!"

If there was one thing Pit never lacked in, it was confidence. Even with dozens of Underworld monsters coming his way, he felt in control. Pit turned and shot his first arrow into a Pluton, vaporizing it instantly.

"Next."

Pit turned and shot again, hitting a Mik behind him. Two more monsters tried coming in from the side, but Pit jumped into the air with a flip, shooting two more arrows at them. While that took care of those monsters, a Monoeye slammed into him from the front, briefly knocking the air out of him.

"Oomph, not bad. Time to get up close and personal." said Pit as he grabbed his bow with both hands, splitting them into twin blades. "Now it's on!"

Pit slashed back and forth, taking out many monsters with few swings. He was even able to use the landscape to his advantage, running up the walls to get elevation on most of them. However, even Pit has his limits. He just finished off another Monoeye as he felt himself become a bit light-headed.

"Phew, these guys are weak, but there sure are a lot of them." huffed Pit. He was literally backed into a corner now, with monsters coming in from all sides.

"_**Pit! Are you alright?! I think I should pull you back!"**_ cried a worried Palutena. However, Pit shook his head and tried to ready himself.

"No Lady Palutena. I can handle this." he huffed. His tone of voice betrayed his determination. He was nearly out of strength and out of breath.

"_Oh man, I'm finished aren't I? And I still don't know how to read."_ Pit began to worry as the monsters seemed ready to jump him. Pit braced himself for the possible impact. At once, the monsters began to pounce on the exhausted angel.

"DEATH SCYTHE!"

The pouncing Pit waited for never came, as he felt a large arc of purple energy surge across the ground in front of him, wiping out the monsters gunning for him. Pit opened one eye and gasped as he saw a huge split in the ground in front of him.

"Wah?!" Pit cried out flabbergasted. He followed the split in the ground to his left, where a shadowy figure was standing. Pit couldn't make him out due to the shade.

"Things seem to have gone a little out of hand. Time for a little damage control."

The figure stepped out of the shade, fully revealing himself in the sunlight. Pit could make out that it was definitely a man. The man was quite tall, appearing like an older teen. He had black hair that was unkempt, with some red markings on his face. His attire was that of red and black material. The top was long-sleeved, almost looking like a small jacket. Chains acted as a belt for him and demonic armor adorned his gauntlets and boots.

And to top it off, the man wielded a scythe that was almost as tall as he was, making him look even more intimidating.

Before Pit could make another move, the Underworld monsters suddenly turned tail and flew away, as if running in fear of the man. Pit's jaw dropped as he watched it. Not only did that man defeat half of the monsters in one strike, but he made the others flee in terror.

"W-Who are you?!" asked Pit out of both surprise and slight fear. The man casually rested his scythe on his right shoulder.

"I am Prometheus, little angel." sneered the man.

"_**Prometheus?! So you're Prometheus."**_ spoke Palutena finally.

"Lady Palutena, do you know him?" asked Pit.

"_**Not personally, but his reputation precedes him. He's known as the Dread Reaper, another minion of the Underworld." **_explained Palutena.

"What?!" Pit cried out, readying himself at the mention of Prometheus being from the Underworld. "But wait. He just killed his own troops then. Why?"

Prometheus chuckled at him. "Lady Palutena huh? So that must mean you're Pit, the one who killed Hades. Very impressive." he smirked at them.

"Yeah, that's me. But you didn't answer my question. If you're a commander of the Underworld, why did you destroy your own troops?" asked Pit, getting impatient.

Prometheus spat on the ground to the side and sneered. "Who said I was a commander?"

"What?"

"I'm from the Underworld, but I'm a free agent. I do what I please. Quite frankly, I was a bit annoyed with all the Underworld monsters flying around, so I fixed the problem." he chuckled.

Pit didn't know what to think with this guy. While Prometheus appeared as a rather nonchalant kind of guy, Pit could feel the murderous aura emanating from him. If there was one thing Pit could say, Prometheus was dangerous, despite his demeanor.

"Anyway, could you tell us why so many Underworld troops were here? Did you bring them here?" Pit asked.

"Hell if I know. Just started happening. I'm not really in the inner circles of the Underworld." Prometheus continued.

Pit realized that this was going nowhere fast. Prometheus wasn't going to talk. Just as he was about to suggest that he get out of there, he felt another spike in dark energy.

"What?" he said as he turned to a cave nearby. Someone was just teleporting out, presumably another Underworld troop judging by the aura. Pit couldn't make out any details, but the figure seemed to be about his size, but that was all.

"Well, see ya kid. If you're half as good as they say you are, then spilling your blood someday will be a royal treat for my scythe." chuckled Prometheus as he disappeared in a bath of red energy. Pit turned around only to see the last remnants of the energy fade away.

"Wow, that guy redefines creepiness." said Pit.

"_**We'll have to be on our guard if Prometheus decides to cause trouble. He may not be a commander, but it doesn't mean he's now associated with the army."**_ said Palutena.

"I see. Well, can you bring me back now?" asked Pit.

"_**Not quite yet."**_ Palutena giggled. Before Pit could retort that, she continued. "_**Seems like you've got visitors, and I mean good ones this time."**_

"Really? Well who could…?" started Pit before he heard several beings land behind him. He turned around and smiled as he recognized one of them.

"Commander Arlon!" cheered Pit as he approached the guardian of the Lunar Sanctum himself.

"It's a pleasure young master Pit. We had heard that you were going to investigate the monsters here, so we came to give our assistance if necessary." said Arlon, eloquent as always.

Pit bashfully rubbed the back of his head.

"Well thanks, but as you can see, it's been taken care of." Pit laughed along with his statement. His laughter however was soon interrupted.

"What?! And I went through all the trouble of coming here to help! Ugh!"

Pit didn't see another person land, which only added to his confusion. Suddenly, Arlon sidestepped to the side.

"Oh, so sorry. I can see you're confused. Someone here was really looking forward to helping you." said Arlon. Pit still looked confused.

"Someone else? All I see is you….." started Pit before he looked ahead of him and his jaw dropped once again.

"VIRIDI?!"

**(END)**

**Just what the motives of the mysterious Prometheus? Who is the dark figure Pit saw? Why is he shocked at Viridi appearing? Why am I asking questions you don't know the answers to? **

**Perhaps the answers and more in Chapter 3!**

**Yes! At long last, my first OC makes his appearance, and trust me; there will be more of them. But for now, here's the enigmatic Prometheus:**

*******Prometheus*******

**Age: 16-17 (appearance-wise)**

**Appearance: Average height for a high school male. Short unkempt black hair with red markings on his face. Attire is red and black. Top has long sleeves, almost like a small jacket, and a chain acts as a belt. Demonic armor adorns his gauntlets and boots. Both top and pants have various red and black designs on them.**

**Japanese seiyu: Koji Yusa.**

**English VA: David Faustino **

**Bio: A being born from the Underworld, Prometheus has no straight allegiance to anyone. Playing by his own rules, he sometimes will use Underworld troops for his own designs. His scythe is a massive weapon that he can wield with ease, and its overwhelming power has earned him the title of "Dread Reaper", a title he lives up to well.**

*******End bio*******

**Well, that's all for this installment. Go ahead and click that little button at the bottom of the screen and let me know what you think. Sentinel07, out!**


	4. Chapter 3: A New Viridi

Hello people! Sentinel07 here with Chapter 3.

Special thanks to Sicomba, kirbystarwarrior, and ultimateCCC for their constant reviews. You're all awesome!

_Italics means a character's personal thoughts._

_Bold and italics refers to quotes using telepathy_

Disclaimer: I don't own Kid Icarus or any other referenced video game or anime.

Now, let's begin!

**(BEGIN)**

Chapter 3: A New Viridi

The last time Pit saw Viridi, it was 6 months before, right at about the time most of her Reset Bomb Depots had been fixed. Pit heard no explanation as to why she never contacted anyone. Not even Palutena seemed to have a reason why.

Suffice to say, the Viridi Pit now saw wasn't quite the same one he knew before.

Sure it was still Viridi, but now she was almost as tall as Pit, almost looking every bit the age he was (13 appearance-wise). Her hair was considerably shorter, no longer long enough to reach her ankles, but rather it was now closer to her butt. Her body, looking like it was on the onset of puberty, was slightly curvy, and Pit could clearly see the beginning of "girls" on her chest. Her face was still quite childish, but her eyes and features looked sharper.

Another difference was her clothes. It was the same visage of red, green, and purple that her old clothes had. However, while it retained the short sleeves and the dress-like skirt, her top now somewhat resembled a robe, a violet flower still nestled in the center. The new ware seemed to compliment her body nicely. Her right arm was still covered in a green long-sleeve while her left arm was still exposed.

Long story short, Pit was flabbergasted at the sight in front of him. This didn't go unnoticed by Viridi.

"W-What are you staring at?!" she asked him, her face going a little red.

"You! You got taller!" Pit practically yelled. If possible, Viridi's face got redder.

"Well duh, that's obvious. Guess it's more than what I can say for you." Viridi smirked at him.

Pit replied with an indignant look. "Hey, I've grown a full inch since last time!"

Everyone there just gave him an odd look at his attempt at a comeback. Pit's race got even redder with embarrassment. He quickly tried to bring something else up.

"So, how did you grow so much so quickly? You were still small 6 months ago." asked Pit.

"Do we really need to be asking such questions here? How about we meet at Palutena's temple first. Perhaps I can answer your questions there." said Viridi. Pit's face turned a 180 at that.

"Alright, it's a deal. Lady Palutena, I'm ready now!" called Pit. At his word, a column of light showered down on him, and he flew up the portal back to Skyworld.

**(LINE BREAK)**

_Back in Skyworld_

"Viridi! It's so good to see you again!" welcomed Palutena, as glad as any to see the goddess of nature once again.

"Um, yeah sure. Let's just get this over with." Viridi replied quickly. Palutena gave her an odd look.

"What's wrong? Are you in a hurry?" she asked.

"I….Well I have something I do need to take care of, so the sooner the better." Viridi replied. The others could see that Viridi looked uncomfortable, but no one could figure out why. Arlon stood next to her, as stoic as ever.

"Well, on behalf of Mistress Viridi, it is nice to make your acquaintance again, Lady Palutena." bowed Arlon.

"Likewise." replied Palutena before she turned to everyone. "Now, to business. I guess you can explain your side of the story first?"

"Yeah, like why are you bigger?" asked Pit. Dark Pit groaned at his "twin".

"You know Pit-stain, there are more important things to talk about." he grumbled.

"But I want to know. People don't grow overnight. I should know." Pit said, not letting the topic go. "Actually, I had no idea gods even could grow."

"Of course we can Pit. It's just a matter of whether we want to or not." said Palutena.

"Huh?" asked Pit.

"I think that might be too vague for him to understand." deadpanned Dark Pit, causing Pit to glare at him a bit.

"Gods can choose however they look. More often than not, they choose what best fits their personality or their job. Like me for example. You probably couldn't take the goddess of light seriously if I looked younger than you." explained Palutena.

"I don't take you seriously even now." Dark Pit smirked, which instantly resulted in Palutena slamming her staff on his head, knocking him out cold to everyone's surprise. "Anyway, that's how it works."

The gears in Pits' head were starting to spin, until a light bulb appeared above his head.

"Ah, so Viridi didn't like people thinking of her as a kid!" he exclaimed. Viridi's face, if even possible, became beet red.

"Ugh, can we put this topic aside? I don't like talking about my age!" Viridi spurted out, quieting everyone.

"Right, that's a topic for another day." smiled Palutena, which didn't make Viridi feel any better. "So, judging by what we saw, we know the Underworld Army is gathering for some reason, but Pit couldn't find any reason why. I wonder if they were looking for something."

"Yeah, wasn't able to figure out much before Prometheus came in and took out half of them in one strike." said Pit. Viridi and Arlon's eyes widened at his words.

"Prometheus? So that was indeed Prometheus' energy we sensed just before we arrived." said Arlon.

"You know something about him?" asked Pit.

"Hardly? His motives are just a mystery to us as they are to you. All I know is that his little sideshow today isn't his first. I've heard of him doing it in other places. He's able to command Underworld monsters, despite not being a part of the Army. Seems like he either uses them for some purpose, or he just destroys them for fun." explained Viridi.

"Sounds like a real piece of work." mumbled Pit.

"If anything Lady Palutena, it would be prudent to keep a close eye on Prometheus' activities. He may look nonchalant but there's no doubt that he has a goal in mind. Whether it's good or bad, we cannot say, but we must be prepared." Arlon suggested. Palutena nodded at him.

"I agree completely." Following Palutena's agreement, Pit spoke up.

"By the way Lady Palutena," Pit started, which got everyone's attention. "I saw another figure at the valley, just before Prometheus left."

Everyone soon turned to him with surprise. Viridi ran right up to him and grabbed the front of his tunic, tossing him back and forth violently. "Well, who was it?! Who did you see?! Why didn't you say so earlier?!" she nearly screamed.

"Whoa whoa, calm down!" Pit pleaded. Viridi soon reluctantly let go of him, allowing Pit to screw his head back on straight. "As I was saying, I saw someone just before Prometheus left. It was just leaving so I couldn't get a good look. But whoever it was didn't seem any bigger than me. That's all I was able to see."

Everyone allowed the information to sink it before commenting again.

"So we have Prometheus and a mysterious dark figure. I wonder if the figure you saw is in any way related to the Fell Warrior." said Palutena.

"You refer to the new leader of the Underworld?" inquired Arlon.

"Yes. No one has seen the Fell Warrior yet. I myself haven't gotten a look either." she explained.

"Don't you have your all-seeing eye of Palutena for that?" asked Pit.

"Sorry, still botched from the laser eye surgery." she grinned at him.

"You're still messing with me aren't you?" Pit stared at her, which just made Palutena giggle lightly.

"Moving on," Viridi decided to move things along. "Looks like we'll have to keep an eye on those two. I'll see whatever resources I can find back at my sanctuary."

"Good idea. Thanks Viridi. I'll do the same here." agreed Palutena.

"How will we know how to find him?" asked Pit.

"I'm not sure. We might have to use math." smiled Palutena.

"Hey, nobody said there'd be math!" Pit said. As everyone talked, Arlon took a look outside.

"I am sorry, but it might be time for us to take our leave for today Mistress Viridi." suggested Arlon.

"Yeah. We've got things to take care of." she said.

As Pit was going to ask something, Palutena interrupted him. "Pit, why don't you go and get the oven started for dinner?" she requested.

"You got it, Lady Palutena!" saluted Pit, running off quickly to fulfill her request. Right after that, Palutena turned to Viridi with a knowing smile.

"All right Viridi, I think you can tell me your real reason for your sudden age change." she smiled at her, making Viridi's face go red again.

"W-What?! I-I don't have to tell you anything!" Viridi defended herself, but Palutena was too smart for that.

"Viridi, this is the first time that you have ever changed your appearance. I know you would never do it just because you felt like it," said Palutena. When Viridi didn't respond, her smile got wider. "I wander; does it have something to do with a certain angel?"

Viridi's face instantly invented a new shade of red at Palutena's suggestion. Her mouth instantly started babbling, incapable of forming a coherent word. Seeing her stress, Arlon came over and gave her a gentle tap on her head, ending her rambling.

"Thank you Arlon." said Viridi.

"You're welcome." Arlon curtly replied. Viridi looked back over at Palutena, her smile even wider now. Viridi could tell that the goddess of light could see right through her now, making her sigh at the ground.

"Ah, so little Miss Cactus does indeed have a soft spot for Pit," said Palutena. While Viridi groaned, Palutena giggled at finally getting her answers. However, she suddenly thought of something. "But even so, why were you holed up for 6 months? I imagine it barely took you any time to change your looks."

Viridi, mostly calmed down now, turned her body away from Palutena.

"There are many things going on. Things even you don't know," Viridi replied. Before Palutena could ask more, Viridi spoke again. "Just don't tell Pit that. I don't need him worrying. He's got enough problems."

Palutena's demeanor changed at Viridi's sudden shift in tone. She could tell that Viridi was dead serious.

"All right, if you insist." she agreed. Viridi gave a brief nod before beginning to walk out of the room.

"Arlon, we are returning to the Overworld Sanctuary." she commanded.

"At once Mistress Viridi." bowed Arlon as he joined his mistress out the door.

After they left, Palutena sighed. Things were steadily becoming more complicated than she imagined. This would take some investigating. In the meantime, she dragged the unconscious Dark Pit with her to the kitchen, not wanting to keep Pit waiting.

**(LINE BREAK)**

_Outside Palutena's Temple_

"Are you sure that you didn't want to tell her more?" asked Arlon.

"You know I can't. It wouldn't help anyway. You know as well as I do that what will happen is unavoidable." Viridi spoke gravely. Arlon couldn't remember a time where Viridi was so deadly serious like this.

"He will keep haunting me, and eventually he will get what he wants, whether I like it or not."

**(END)**

**Just what is Viridi talking about? Sounds like things are picking up now. I'm sure all of you can probably guess her reasons for changing her looks, but it looks like she's got something much more serious on her mind right now. Also, I'm pretty sure some of you will be able to find the Madworld reference I put in.  
**

**Anyway, it's bio time! This time, it's our favorite goddess of nature, Viridi:**

*******Viridi*******

**Age: 12-13 (in appearance)**

**Appearance: Still wears a dark pink and red dress, but now the top resembles a robe somewhat. Still has sleeves and the dress-like skirt with purple flower on her budding chest. Left arm is still sleeved while right arm in mostly bare. Her legs are still encased in green stockings, but now she now wears something akin to brown boots, with her toes still exposed like the old ones. Aside from some very slight curves, her hair is shorter, only going down to her butt now.**

**Japanese seiyu: Makiko Omoto**

**English VA: Hynden Walch**

**Bio: Viridi was somewhat calmed down since the war with Hades, although Pit and Palutena have often had to negotiate with her to keep her from bombing the humans again. She recently changed her appearance during a 6-month stay at her sanctuary, although who knows what else happened in that time span.**

*******End bio*******

**Yet another chapter done. I swear, feels like they're getting longer and longer. You can pretty much guarantee that each chapter will be at least 1000 words, since I consider it a good minimum length. Well anyway, you know what to do. Give that review button a click if you'd like and I'll see you next time. **

**Sentinel07, out!**


	5. Chapter 4: To the Castle

**Hello people! Sentinel07 here with Chapter 4.**

**Thanks to Pokemaster94, Sicomba, and Benneb66 for their generous reviews. Also, a very special thanks to Pokemaster94 and Sicomba for being the first reviewers to favorite my story. Hearing I have a story people have as a favorite makes it feel like I've got something good here. :) **

_Italics means a character's personal thoughts._

**_Bold and italics refers to quotes using telepathy_**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Kid Icarus or any other referenced video game or anime.**

**Now, let's begin!**

**(BEGIN)**

**Chapter 4: To the Castle  
**

Things began to get a little quiet around Skyworld. Perhaps a little too quiet for Pit's tastes. It had been a week since he met Prometheus and saw Viridi again. Both of them continued to haunt him as the days went on. There were so many things he didn't know.

What was Prometheus' goal?

Just who is the Underworld's new leader?

And what was up with Viridi?

Normally, Pit never dealt with such things. Before, it was Palutena who handled most of the thinking for him while he just wasted enemies. But that didn't feel enough this time. He wanted to know.

"Thinking Pit-stain? That's not a good sign."

Pit heard his dark twin come into the room, standing by his side, usual grin in place.

"I don't recall asking for your opinion." Pit said rather emotionless. Dark Pit gave his twin an odd look. Of course, even he was perplexed by the recent events. He wanted to know as well what was going on.

"Relax. We'll find Prometheus eventually. Perhaps you can drag the answers out of him then." shrugged Dark Pit. Pit gave his twin a small grin.

"Yeah. I hope you're right." said Pit, feeling a little more confident. "I'm not going to let this drag me down. I'll find out what's going on, or my name isn't Pit."

"Now there's the Pit we know and completely fail to understand." sneered Dark Pit. Then, right as Pit got up; something akin to an alarm went off in his head, courtesy of Palutena.

**"_Pit, come in! We've got a lock on Prometheus!"_**

**(LINE BREAK)**

"So where did you say he was?" asked Pit as he flew through the sky.

After Palutena's alarm went off, Pit and Dark Pit ran to meet her in the central hall. Palutena said that she had scanning wherever she could for any incidents, and happened to locate one some ways south of Skyworld. It was an area familiar to Pit. He had been there before when he was fighting Medusa.

"_**I've found Prometheus near the castle where Dark Lord Gaol was setting up shop. Quite a few Underworld troops are there as well so keep your wits about you."**_

"Right away, Lady Palutena." saluted Pit.

The mention of Dark Lord Gaol got Pit thinking about her and her colleague Magnus. He often saw the two of them on occasion, as the only real human friends Pit had. They both did mercenary work, which Pit kind of figured was the only good job for Magnus, who quite honestly was rather clumsy with ordinary work. Gaol still used the armor of the Dark Lord, but she no longer had to fear the curse, something Pit was grateful for.

But enough back story, Pit had a mission to complete.

"Ah, feels kind of nice to see this place again." smiled Pit. The mountains were as rugged as always, hardly fit for humans to pass through. Fortunately for Pit, he had to run into any Underworld troops on the way.

"They must be at the castle. I wonder what Prometheus is doing there." wondered Pit. Right as he did, he came across a **very **familiar wall.

"Uh oh." Pit knew what was coming next.

"_**Going up!"**_ said Palutena, as if this was an elevator. Suddenly, Pit felt another burst of energy through his wings, sending up skyrocketing up the side of the wall.

"WOAH! G-FORCE IN MY FACEEEEEEEEEEEEE!"

"_**Just like the good old days, right?"**_

As soon as it began, Pit was thrown up and over the wall, slowing his down a bit as he caught his breath.

"You know, you really take me for granted sometimes." breathed Pit in slight exhaustion.

"_**Oh, you had already done it once, so it was perfectly safe." **_Pit could tell Palutena was giggling behind his back. _**"But back to the topic at hand, there's the castle."**_

Pit looked down, circling around the Dark Lord's castle. Putting the wall behind him, he readied his bow. This time, he wanted answers from Prometheus, even if he had to beat him down to do it.

"Get ready Prometheus!"

**(LINE BREAK)**

_Meanwhile, in the castle_

"Late. Again." spouted Prometheus as he waited around the inner corridor of Gaol's Castle. The man had important business, and he hated having to wait.

"It's always come crap about an important mission. Blah blah blah." Prometheus spat out. As he said that, he saw a burst of dark energy to his right and a being smaller than him walked out.

"Ah, a pleasure to make your acquaintance, _Fell Warrior_."

**(LINE BREAK)**

"It always feels like a birthday party where everyone wants to kill me."

Pit had entered the castle and, to his dismay, there were tons of Underworld troops just waiting to take him down. However, this time was different for Pit. He didn't have time to waste on the small fry. He wanted to big fish, and he wanted it now.

"_**Pit, don't rush. You're burn yourself out before you reach Prometheus at that rate."**_

"I know, Lady Palutena. However, I can't allow him to get away this time. We need to know what he knows about what's happening."

"_**I understand Pit, but it's not worth it if you get finished while doing it."**_

Pit briefly smiled at that as he slayed another Specknose. "Thanks Lady Palutena."

"_**You two done with your little quarrel?"**_ Pit could near the snarky voice of Dark Pit.

"_**Oh I just worry. Pit's like the son I never had." **_

"Ah, thanks Lady Palutena."

"_**Okay, hurling now."**_ Pit heard him leave the connection line. Now it was time to stay focused. He had make it a good ways into the castle. For some reason, the amount of troops was weakening.

"Maybe I'm close now." Pit muttered to himself.

As Pit walked further into the castle, things seemed to be getting quieter. Almost too quiet for his tastes. Palutena gave him a warning that he should probably slow down and make it in quietly so he didn't tip anyone off. Pit agreed with her plan.

Soon enough, Pit had make his way up the spiral staircase that lead to Gaol's chamber. Just as he was about to go in, he heard voices. One voice was definitely Prometheus. The other…

"I could use your strength Prometheus. I need it for my plan to succeed." spoke a different voice. Pit couldn't see who it was, but it sounded female. Like one his age or perhaps even younger. Pit raised an eyebrow at that. Who was Prometheus talking to?

"You know that ain't my style. I just like to wreck stuff. Being someone else's hit man doesn't suit me."

"You crave violence, yet you reject my offer? You are an unpredictable one."

"You're the one with the beef with the goddess of nature, not me." He heard a pause, and Pit suddenly got a bad feeling. "You know, how about we let our guest in, shall we?"

Pit wasn't stupid and he knew immediately what happened as Prometheus' scythe missed his face by mere inches. Recovering from the shock, Pit rolled into the room, bow at the ready.

"You know, eavesdropping is quite rude." smirked Prometheus as his scythe returned to its master. Pit briefly looked in Prometheus' direction before looking to his left. There was another being; it's back turned to Pit.

"And just who are you?" asked Pit.

"Ha ha ha ha!" chuckled Prometheus. Pit could tell this wouldn't be good. "You haven't introduced yourself yet? That's not good manners." he chuckled darkly again.

"Why don't you enlighten him, _Fell Warrior_?" As soon as Prometheus mentioned the name, Pit tensed up. In front of him was the new leader of the Underworld? A warrior that Pit had no idea how to fight? Pit gulped as he kept his bow ready.

"You're the new leader of the Underworld? Why are you after Viridi?" he asked, remembering that Prometheus mentioned a hit on the goddess of nature.

The being, back still turned, raised its head. "You wouldn't understand even if I told you, but I guess I can give you a name, and a face to put it to."

The being slowly turned itself around, beginning to face Pit. Pit gulped again as the being began to lift its face, and Pit got his first look at the Underworld leader.

The being was small, a bit smaller than Pit himself. Its body was covered in dark Underworld armor, somewhat similar to Gaol's armor, but not nearly as big or bulky. The being seemed to wear long-sleeved black top and tight black leggings that could be seen in places with no armor, such as the forearms and the thighs. However, the armor itself almost appeared organic in a way, like it was part of the being's body. In the darkness of the room, Pit could make out short black hair that barely touched the being's shoulders. Needless to say though, Pit was shocked to see its face.

The face of a young girl, whose left eye was red and the other eye green.

"My name is Iris, and I'm the leader the Underworld Army."

**(END)**

**The Underworld leader reveals herself at last. Just who is she? How did she become the new leader? Just one of many questions that haunt Pit's mind now.**

**So, with that out-of-the-way, it's time to meet Iris, the new leader of the Underworld:**

*******Iris*******

**Age: 11-12 (in appearance)**

**Appearance: Shorter and smaller than Pit. Short black hair that just reaches her shoulders . Wears organic looking dark armor mostly on her chest, arms, and legs. Wears a black top and black leggings that cover areas not covered by the armor, such as her forearms and thighs. Her left eye is red and the other is green.**

**Japanese seiyu: ****Rie Kugimiya**

**English VA: Laura Bailey**

**Bio: This girl somehow has become the new ruler of the Underworld after the deaths of Medusa and Hades. How did she obtain rule of the realm? Only she knows.**

*******End bio*******

**Well, that's it for yet another chapter. Might take a while for the next chapter as I haven't really planned it out yet. I've got bits and pieces of this story figured out, like what happens at the middle of the story and how it ends, but I might need more time on specifics for the next chapter.**

**Of course, if you guys have any crazy ideas for stuff you'd like to see, I'd be happy to listen to them. **

**By the way, just as a heads up, updates will generally be 2 days apart assuming that I already have the next chapter done. I've got quite a few chapters done in advance, so it will mostly be a 2-day wait at least. I decided to put this chapter up earlier though because I felt like putting it out there soon enough. Consider it a gift. :)  
**

**Anyway, hope you enjoy and look forward to the next chapter. This is Sentinel07 signing out.**


	6. Chapter 5: Iris, the Fell Warrior

**Hello people! Sentinel07 here with Chapter 5.**

**Special thanks to Sicomba, supersbigz, Pokemaster94, and Bebbeb66 for their reviews. You guys keep the ball rolling. :)**

_Italics means a character's personal thoughts._

**_Bold and italics refers to quotes using telepathy_**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Kid Icarus or any other referenced video game or anime.**

**Now, let's begin!**

**(BEGIN)**

**Chapter 5: Iris, the Fell Warrior**

To say Pit was surprised would be a huge understatement. This girl was the Underworld's new leader? The very Fell Warrior that Lady Palutena warned him about? Pit almost couldn't believe it. This girl was smaller than him. Not only that, there was something else.

She looked so…..innocent.

She had the kind of baby face that a mother and father would just adore. She hardly looked like someone who could rule a dark place like the Underworld. However, the proof was right in front of him. If Prometheus of all people said so, then there had to be something.

"_**Unbelievable. Is she really the Fell Warrior?"**_

"Are you sure about that?" asked Pit, bow still at the ready.

"You don't believe me? Perhaps you require proof." spoke Iris rather emotionless. She held her right hand in front of her, as dark energy crackled between her fingers. The energy lashed around, eventually forming a straight beam of energy that Iris eventually firmly grabbed with her hand. The energy soon vanished, revealing a black lance, coated in dark demonic armor like her.

Pit heard Palutena gasp. _**"That's….That's the Gae Bolg! The demon spear said to be kept in the darkest reaches of the Underworld!"**_

"The what?" asked Pit.

"_**The Gae Bolg is said to be a weapon of the purest darkness. It's a weapon that is said to choose who wields it, and whoever does obtains Underworld powers that not even Hades could get!"**_

"Woah woah woah! You're saying she got a power that Hades couldn't? No way!" cried Pit in disbelief.

The look on Iris' face seemed to be that of slight amusement. "I see. You don't believe me. That's a pity." she said solemnly as she raised her lance. "Guess I'll have to teach you."

At once, the spear glowed, emitting a powerful dark force. Almost immediately, Pit was forced back against the wall, painfully jarring his back as he fell back to the ground.

"_**Pit, are you alright?!"**_ called Palutena in worry. Pit struggled to get back to his feet.

"D-Don't worry Lady Palutena. I-I can wrap this up quickly." said Pit, trying to show some confidence. However, right before he could, a huge being blocked his path.

"Ho ho ho ho, impatient as always I see!" laughed a very clown-like voice. Pit immediately remembered one person who had a voice like that. He looked straight up, seeing the clown face of Thanatos, god of death.

"Thanatos! What are you doing here?!" asked Pit, trying to get ready for when Thanatos intended to attack. However, before he could, a blue blade crossed right in front of his face.

"What's the hurry Pit? The party's just started." said a sultry female voice. Pit looked straight to his right, seeing the elegant form of Pandora, goddess of calamity, still in her amazon form.

"What? You brought both Thanatos and Pandora back?!" asked Pit, stunned to see two former enemies seemingly brought back once again.

"Of course. It was quite simple." spoke Iris. After she spoke, both Thanatos and Pandora turned to Iris.

"Forgive us for our tardiness, Lady Iris. Clown-face here took forever." giggled Pandora, which immediately got Thanatos riled up.

"ME?! You're the one who took 3 hours just to comb your hair!" he retorted.

"You take three hours to comb your hair?" asked Pit, really getting off topic.

"In case you haven't noticed, I haven't been in my old body in many years. Some things take time to get used to." replied Pandora nonchalantly.

Another wave of dark energy from Iris immediately shut them all up. "Enough. I didn't come here to play." spoke Iris darkly.

"Y-Yes ma'am!" bowed Thanatos in fear. Pit was surprised. For such a small creature, Iris had a truly commanding gaze. He was starting to believe just how she came to be on the throne. Just then, Pandora noticed Prometheus just idling by and watching the show. She immediately smiled.

"Oh Promy! How are you darling?!" the blue-clad girl ran over. Prometheus immediately looked disgusted.

"Get away from me witch." he said darkly.

"Oh don't be like that. We haven't properly spoken in about 1000 years or so." smiled Pandora.

"And I've regretted it each year since." said Prometheus.

"What's up with them?" asked Pit.

Thanatos came over and whispered in his ear. "Pandora is his self-appointed number one fan."

"Wow, that's rough." muttered Pit.

Just then, Iris slammed her spear on the ground, nearly causing an earthquake. "One more distraction from the two of you and you're going back to patrol duty."

"Not patrol." groaned both Thanatos and Pandora.

With that, Iris turned her gaze back to Prometheus. "So, I assume your answer is final?"

"Took you that long to figure it out Sherlock?" grinned Prometheus. Iris wasn't amused, but rather she just sighed.

"Very well then, but you know full well what will happen if you cross me or use my minions for your personal games again. I will personally strap you to the highest mountain and hang you there for millennia if I have to." she said darkly.

Pit shivered from the malice in her voice. _"Dang, that girl is hardcore. And I thought Viridi was scary at times."_ he thought.

"Thanatos, Pandora, we're done here. Return at once." she commanded.

"Yes milady!" replied both of them who teleported out. Lastly, Iris gave Pit one more look.

"The same applies to you, little angel. If you cross me, I won't hesitate to destroy you." she said. Pit was finally able to get back to his feet with Thanatos gone. He couldn't allow Iris to leave yet.

"Hold it. I need to say something." he said as he staggered to his feet. "Why are you after Viridi?" he asked, remembering what Prometheus mentioned about Iris having a beef with the goddess of nature.

Iris looked slightly amused at the question. "If you must know, the goddess did me a great injustice once. I will see justice done to her as well."

"What justice?" asked Pit.

"That is none of your concern." said Iris as a dark portal swirled around her. "Just be warned that you will taste Gae Bolg's full might should we cross again." she said as the portal engulfed her, taking her away from the castle.

"Charming character isn't she? Kind of sexy though. Who doesn't love a bad girl?" chuckled Prometheus.

"I don't need girl advice from you!" said Pit, aiming his bow at Prometheus. "Whatever you're planning Prometheus, I need to stop you."

"Peh, as if you could fight me head on." chuckled Prometheus. "You're not near my level yet. But once you are, it shall be a great fight between us. Helswath here will have a sweet treat when that day comes."

Before Pit could get anywhere further, Prometheus teleported out of the room, leaving Pit alone.

"Crud! All this and I still couldn't get anything from him. Oh well, guess I shouldn't wait around here." said Pit.

After that, he called for Palutena to pick him up, which she did with a column of light from the heavens.

**(LINE BREAK)**

_Skyworld_

"Well, now what?!" asked Pit once he was back in Skyworld.

"Calm down Pit. We have to look at this rationally." said Palutena. "With that spear, Iris is easily stronger than Medusa, and perhaps even Hades. We must be ready."

"So it's really that strong?" asked Dark Pit.

"Absolutely. It was created long ago by Dyntos, who devised the weapon as one that could be used as a last resort. It's kind of like how we have the Three Sacred Treasures to protect Skyworld. However, it cannot be used by someone who has a heart of pure darkness. If they did, then Gae Bolg's darkness would probably rip them apart from the inside out." explained Palutena.

"So you're saying that this Iris chick isn't totally dark?" asked Dark Pit.

"It's the only logical explanation. Dyntos didn't want a being like Hades to use it to rule the entire world, hence why he made it so the weapon chose its own worthy owner. Who knows what Iris intends to do with it." said Palutena.

"What if she decides to take over the human world, just like Medusa and Hades?" asked Pit.

"I'm not sure about that. Iris' recent movements don't seem to suggest that she's interested in world domination. From what I could tell, most Underworld monsters have been hanging around some of Viridi's hot spots. The Valley of Hope is one place that Viridi values for example." said Palutena.

"So, this chick has it out for Viridi." pondered Dark Pit.

"I wonder if that's truly what she's after." wondered Pit.

"What do you mean?" asked Dark Pit.

"When she talked to me, even when she talked about how she wanted to deliver justice to Viridi, I felt something odd. It didn't feel like malice to me. It was more like…..sadness. Like there was something else at play behind her words." said Pit.

"Sadness? So you're saying you feel sympathetic for the girl who's trying to kill Viridi? I'm sure Viridi will love to hear that." smirked Dark Pit.

"No, I wouldn't say that. It's just that I feel there may be more to her than we know. Regardless, we do have to do something. We can't let her kill Viridi no matter what." said Pit.

"I agree completely. Viridi is the only thing that keeps the Overworld in balance." said Palutena. "It's easy to replace the leader of the Underworld, but not so much for the Overworld or Skyworld. If Viridi were to be killed, I fear for the future of the humans." said Palutena.

"Don't worry Lady Palutena. If necessary, Iris will face the light!" declared Pit. Palutena smiled at Pit's unwavering confidence.

"And there he goes again with his total nonsense." muttered Dark Pit.

Suddenly, the group heard a doorbell.

"Oh, our visitor has arrived. Can you go get that Pit?" asked Palutena.

"You didn't say anything about a visitor, but if you insist." said Pit as he ran out to the main door of Palutena's temple. He opened the door to reveal a teenaged-girl with light green hair.

"Pit, meet Eres. She's a very good friend of mine."

**(END)**

**So, Iris' objective is made clear to Pit. But what is this "sadness" Pit claims to have seen with her. Could there be more to Iris than meets the eye? And who is this new goddess who is apparently friends with Palutena? Stay tuned for Chapter 6.**

**For our bio today, we have the reincarnated goons themselves; Thanatos and Pandora:**

*******Thanatos and Pandora*******

**Age: Who really knows? (I mean seriously)**

**Appearance: Exactly the same as Uprising. Pandora is in her Amazon form.**

**Japanese seiyu: Eiji Itou (Thanatos) and Mariko Suzuki (Pandora)**

**English VA: Danny Mann (Thanatos) and Nika Futterman (Pandora)**

**Bio: Thanatos and Pandora have been resurrected by Iris since Hades' defeat. They are pretty much the same as before, although they're a pretty clumsy duo when working together, often making Iris question how effective they are.**

*******End bio*******

**Well, there is Chapter 5. Go ahead and click that review section if you'd be so kind. **

**So, that's all for me folks. Enjoy! Sentinel07, signing out!**


	7. Chapter 6: Nature's Caretaker

**Hello people! Sentinel07 here with Chapter 6.**

**Special thanks to Pokemaster94, ultimateCCC, 23blenders for their reviews. :)**

_Italics means a character's personal thoughts._

**_Bold and italics refers to quotes using telepathy_**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Kid Icarus or any other referenced video game or anime.**

**Now, let's begin!**

**(BEGIN)**

**Chapter 6: Nature's Caretaker**

The girl appeared as a young teenager, perhaps 14-15 in human years. She had light green hair that was pretty short, decorated with some leaves. She wore a white robe-like dress, decorated with gold, red, and green colors. She sported some brown sandals on her feet. She had a nice innocent face, which gave Pit a tender smile.

"Good day. You must be Pit. I've heard so much about you from Palutena." smiled Eres.

"Oh, well it's nothing. And you're….Eres apparently?" asked Pit, using the name he heard from Palutena.

"Yes sir. My name is Eres, goddess of harvest and a minor goddess of nature." bowed Eres.

"Now Eres, you know that you don't have to do that here. We're good friends after all." smiled Palutena.

"That we are. It's been too long." smiled Eres as she came up and gave Palutena a friendly hug.

"So how long have you known each other?" asked Pit.

"For a few millennial." said Palutena. "But she's been really caught up in her work so we never got to talk much recently. You see Pit, Eres was also Viridi's caretaker during her early years."

"Oh Palutena, that was nothing." replied Eres with a bashful look.

"Early years?" asked Pit, a bit confused.

"Yes. You see, Viridi came around later than the other major gods, and being a minor goddess of nature, I had to take care of her until she came of age." explained Eres.

"Huh, no kidding." wondered Pit. Anyway, right after that, Eres' expression got a little more serious.

"As much as I would love to catch up now, we have other things we need to discuss." said Eres. Palutena nodded.

"Of course." said Palutena. "So, what is it what you need to say?"

Eres composed herself in a seat before continuing. "Now, as I'm sure you're aware of, the new leader of the Underworld, Iris, has had forces gathering around some of Viridi's hot spots. The incident at the Valley of Hope was Iris trying to coax Viridi out of her sanctuary."

"It does seem like she has it out for Viridi. Do you have any idea why?" asked Palutena.

"Unfortunately, I do not. All I know about Iris was that she appeared sometime after Hades' defeat and didn't take long to gain control of the Underworld Army. However, I'm worried about Viridi. Not many people know what happened to Viridi during those 6 months she stayed holed up in her sanctuary, but I have a feeling that it isn't anything good." said Eres.

"What makes you say that? Maybe Viridi just wanted some time alone?" suggested Pit.

"Not for that long. Viridi has never stayed in her sanctuary without going anywhere for that long. I fear for her safety, that there's something else going on behind the scenes." said Eres solemnly.

"I understand Eres. You don't have to worry." smiled Palutena, trying to ease Eres.

"Yeah, we'll help Viridi. I promise that we will do everything to save her from whatever is going on." vowed Pit. Eres giggled lightly at Pit's words.

"You have a strange way of convincing people, but it seems to work nonetheless." smiled Eres. Dark Pit just shrugged.

"That's because he goes only by instinct." he smirked.

"Hey, it works doesn't it?" retorted Pit, leading to everyone in the room laughing. Then, Eres' eyes lit up.

"Oh, I almost forgot!" she said before snapping her fingers. At her command, a couple Forces of Nature monsters arrived through the door, carrying a package with them. Palutena seemed to instantly know what was inside.

"Ah, you brought back the Three Sacred Treasures." said Palutena.

"Of course, since Dyntos asked me to deliver them back for you. You sent them to have him mend them a few weeks ago, correct?" asked Eres.

"Yes. We'll never know when we need them again, even after what happened last time." said Palutena.

"All right! Now I know I'll kick Iris' butt next time I meet her!" cheered Pit.

"Yeah, we'll see about that." smirked Dark Pit.

**(LINE BREAK)**

_A few days later_

Things got a little quiet following Eres' appearance and the retrieval of the Three Sacred Treasures. Pit got a good look at them soon after, seeing that they pretty much resembled what they did before. However, Dyntos was able to boost the power a bit after they got destroyed so easily by Hades.

For a time, Eres had actually stayed at the temple, wanting to catch up with Palutena after so long.

"You really did put monster pheromones on him?!" laughed Eres as Palutena was telling her stories of the last war.

"Well, I thought it would work best, and it did." smiled Palutena.

Suddenly, a centurion burst into the room, huffing and puffing as it bowed in front of Palutena.

"A report milady!"

"Yes, what is it?" asked Palutena, more serious now.

"A huge mass of Underworld masses is culminating around the Reset Bomb Forest!" reported the centurion.

Palutena knew what he was talking about; the forest created by Viridi's reset bomb attack about five years prior. The forest had expanded slightly over the years, although it still maintained a slightly creepy atmosphere.

"All right, good work." said Palutena as she dismissed the centurion before turning to her mental link.

"_**Pit! Come to the central hall immediately!"**_ she called. After that, she turned to Eres.

"I'm sorry Eres, and you just wanted to catch up." apologized Palutena.

"It's alright. I figured something would happen sooner or later. Since it's the Reset Bomb Forest, I'll tag along with Pit to check it out. I think I can help." said Eres.

"That's a good idea." said Palutena. Right as she said that, Pit burst into the room.

"Yes Lady Palutena?!" he asked, huffing and puffing like the centurion.

"Underworld troops have apparently been occupying the Reset Bomb Forest. I need you to go investigate. Eres has also elected to join you for this mission." said Palutena.

"Are you sure? I can take care of it myself." offered Pit.

"Thanks, but I'd like to see what's going on myself. I'm worried about what Iris is planning." said Eres.

"Fair enough." said Pit, readying his bow. He had been itching over the past few days to get some more action. He was never the type to just sit around.

"All right, through the door with both of you." said Palutena.

With that said, Pit ran up the stairs with Eres as the doors opened and they both jumped out, Pit feeling the Power of Flight flow through his wings.

"All right, let's see what we've got." said Pit as Eres flew alongside him. The door dumped them a little ways outside the forest so they would have to travel a bit. As they did, Pit looked over at Eres and groaned.

"Seriously? You don't even have wings but you can fly?" he groaned.

"Most gods can fly like this. It's kind of a natural trait." smiled Eres.

"What I wouldn't give for something like that." muttered Pit as he and Eres sped towards the Reset Bomb Forest. The dome-shaped place still looked as creepy as ever.

"Got some really bad memories from this place." muttered Pit. Eres nodded solemnly.

"I agree. It's too bad it came to this. Viridi only did what she did because humans were destroying the land and themselves over the Wish Seed. If it wasn't for that, it never would have happened. Everyone seems to hate Viridi for it." spoke Eres.

"I feel bad for her. Viridi is not a bad person by any means. Sure, her methods are a bit rough, but she only did what she could to stop the fighting, which it did in a manner of speaking." said Pit.

"I guess you're right." said Eres.

As she spoke, Underworld forces spotted them and began attacking.

"All right, time for some action!" smiled Pit as he got to felling the troops, using arrows for the further away enemies and the bow's blades for the short-range. Eres proved that she could easily hold her own in a fight, using her own varying nature powers as she entangled a large group of enemies in a tangled web.

"Nice!" cheered Pit, giving Eres a thumbs up.

Suddenly, as soon as Pit said that, he heard an explosion from inside the forest. He looked forward to see a tiny ball of fire inside the forest.

"Oh no! Is Iris setting the forest aflame?!" worried Pit.

"_**Pit! I sense Twinbellows inside the forest. Iris must have sent him to burn down the forest!"**_ called Palutena.

"She brought Twinbellows back too? Oh well, more time to rack up those Nintendogs trainer points!" cheered Pit.

"_**Focus Pit."**_ deadpanned Palutena.

After getting through some more enemies, Pit and Eres entered the inner structure of the forest.

"Man, this place is as creepy as ever." stated Pit.

"I can see that." sighed Eres.

Right after that, they heard another explosion, rocking the trees of the forest. Pit had to make an aerodynamic maneuver just to avoid the falling branches.

"Woah! He's not holding anything back is he?!" cried Pit. Then, Eres cried out.

"There he is! He's right at the center!" she said to Pit. Pit looked down and saw a huge being of flame running around the center, ravaging through the trees.

"All right, time to tame this doggy!" cheered Pit.

**(END)**

**All right, so we have the introduction of the minor nature goddess, Eres. And it looks like Twinbellows is back too. Pit better be prepared, but when is he not? **

**Al right, character bio! This time, it's on our goddess of harvest, Eres:**

*******Eres*******

**Age: 14-15 (in appearance)**

**Appearance: She has light green hair that is a bit less than shoulder-length, decorated with some leaves. She wears a white robe-like dress, decorated with gold, red, and green colors. She also has brown sandals on her feet, almost kind of like Pits, except hers are simpler. She has a rather innocent face.**

**Japanese seiyu: ****Noriko Shitaya**

**English VA: Carrie Savage**

**Bio: Eres is a life-long friend of Palutena and was Viridi's caretaker in her early years. She had grown concerned about Viridi's recent activities, so she consults Palutena and Pit to help her in that regard. **

*******End bio*******

**And that does it for yet another chapter. We're quickly moving through Part 1 of this story. Yes, there are two parts to this story. We will soon be quickly moving to the big battle with Iris, although Pit will have to take care of some of her minions first. **

**Well, that's all for now. Stay tuned and for more and I will see you next time. Sentinel07, out!**


	8. Chapter 7: Fire and Ice

**Hello people! Sentinel07 here with Chapter 7.**

**Thanks to everyone who reviewed. A bit too many to name this time, but you know who you are, and I humbly thank you all. :)**

_Italics means a character's personal thoughts._

**_Bold and italics refers to quotes using telepathy_**

**Now, something I'd like to say before continuing. A few people have asked what Dark Pit's role in this story is, as he's been little more than comic relief so far. I will admit that, when this story started, I couldn't really think of a role for him. However, that has now changed. Soon enough, I believe I will be giving Dark Pit some well deserved screen time. However, it still won't be for a while, so I humbly ask for some patience. Dark Pit will get his time to shine and get a piece of the action. Eventually.**

**You know, I keep saying I'm on a 2-day schedule thing, but I haven't been doing a good job at that. Guess it all depends on if a chapter has something I really want to get out there.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Kid Icarus or any other referenced video game or anime.**

**Now, let's begin!**

**(BEGIN)**

**Chapter 7: Fire and Ice**

"That thing looked pretty steamed." said Eres as she observed Twinbellow's destruction.

"Well, he's been a hot dog. Get it? Hot dog!" laughed Pit. Eres gave him a stare that told him that she didn't find it funny.

"_**That may be your worst one yet."**_ quoted Dark Pit.

"Hey peanut gallery, no one asked you!" said Pit, feeling a bit embarrassed.

"Anyway, should we stop that thing?" asked Eres. Putting aside Dark Pit's comment, Pit refocused himself.

"Yes, you're right. Let's go." said Pit as he began to give chase to Twinbellows.

**(LINE BREAK)**

_Above the Reset Bomb Forest_

Above the forest, Iris looked down upon seeing Pit chase down Twinbellows.

"Does that little angel have any fear? He just does head straight into anything." she muttered. "Reminds me of…."

She stopped as she gently grabbed her head, as if remembering some awful memory. However, it passed soon and Iris refocused herself.

"Never mind that. He won't interfere with my goal." said Iris.

**(LINE BREAK)**

"Hey Twinbellows!" called Pit. "Why don't you roll over and play dead like a good boy!"

Twinbellows seemed to react to Pit's statement, looking straight at Pit with both of its heads. Roaring, the beast began charging towards him, breaking more of the trees in the process.

"Woah!" cried Pit as he nearly dodged Twinbellow's frontal attack.

"_**Pit, I think I should get you to the ground. The five minutes is almost up."**_ said Palutena.

"You got it Lady Palutena." said Pit. "Twinbellows, catch me if you can!" he challenged.

As he dove downwards, Twinbellows snorted, as if accepting the challenge. As Pit flew downwards, Twinbellows jumped from branch to branch, leaving behind more destruction before if landed on the ground. Pit and Eres landed soon after.

"You sure you got this?" asked Eres.

"Of course. I have beaten him who knows how many times by now. Why do you think he's always the first boss? He's the easiest by default." smiled Pit.

"I guess so." said Eres, readying herself as well.

Twinbellows looked straight at the two, scraping the ground as if preparing for a brutal strike. Right out of the blue, it roared at Pit, charging quickly at him.

"Woah! He's gotten faster!" said Pit as he dodged to the left. Once he did, he started unloading arrows at the unguarded Twinbellows, hoping to deal a good amount of damage. The beast roared as the blasts hit it directly on its side.

However, Twinbellows was undeterred and quickly changed course, charging for Pit again. Eres erected a small barrier that went up just in time, slowing Twinbellows enough for Pit to get a few more shots in and jump away.

"Well, he's far more resilient than usual. Oh well, more fun for me!" cheered Pit. Right as he said that, he jumped again as Twinbellows unleashed a dual stream of flamethrowers, incinerating the local area.

"Man, if I don't wrap this up soon, he'll burn the whole place down before he's down." muttered Pit.

As Pit said that, he had to dodge yet another charge from Twinbellows, which ended up singing part of his tunic.

"All right, that's it. Time to step it up." said Pit, getting deathly serious now. "Hey Twinbellows, time for you to play dead for real now!" Pit cried.

Twinbellows roared at him again, but Pit was able to get a few more shots in before having to dodge again. Once more, he continued launching arrow after arrow at Twinbellows. Eres tried to het best to give Pit some extra time, such as erecting a barrier or using the trees to tangle up Twinbellows.

Pit could tell that Twinbellows was beginning to wear down, as its charges were beginning to slow down. Pit knew that his chance was coming.

"All right! Time to put this dog down!" cried Pit as he charged one big arrow. Twinbellows began charging again, but this time, Pit was totally ready for it. At the very last second, Pit jumped to the left, impaling the arrow in Twinbellows' side. The beast howled in pain at Pit's strike, falling down to the ground unconscious.

"Whoo-hoo! Oh yeah, "Best in Show" right there!" laughed Pit, continuing his string of bad dog jokes.

"You know, you might want to stop that." said Eres, a little tired of the bad jokes. Pit shrugged.

"Yeah, I guess you're right. But hey, we beat Twinbellows, and that's always a cause for some celebration!" cheered Pit, which got Eres giggling a bit.

However, their joy was soon interrupted.

"Wow, they're strong!" sang a feminine voice.

"Yes, that little boy over there is quite the warrior." said a slightly deeper feminine voice. Pit and Eres perked up at the noise.

"Who's there?! Show yourself!" yelled Pit, readying his bow for possibly more action.

"Awww, he's so cute! I could just hug him." said the high-pitched voice.

"Calm down, he's not that cute. But let's amuse him with an entrance shall we?" laughed the deeper voice.

"Who are they?" wondered Eres.

Suddenly, right in front of Twinbellows, two beams of light appeared; one was red and the other was blue. As the lights disappeared, two being replaced them, both of them feminine. One had brown hair tied into twin ponytails on the sides of her head. Her clothing was a mix of red and black, styled as a tight sleeveless top. She wore typical black pants, with brown boots. On her arms, she wore black armbands. Pit was quick to notice that she had quite the muscle on her.

The other girl was about the same size, with short blonde hair that didn't reach her shoulders. She wore turquoise and white clothing, stylized like a small sleeveless dress. Underneath, she wore black leggings with white boots. On her arms, she wore white elbow-length gloves that had shades of turquoise. Pit noticed that, in her hands, seemed to be some kind of parasol.

Whoever these girls were, Pit could tell that they meant business.

"Who are you?" asked Pit, bow still at the ready.

"My my, so hostile." spoke the red-clad girl. "Here we are just looking around, and this little boy threatens us." she giggled. Pit blushed red.

"W-Well, I mean no disrespect, but I don't even know who you are." defended Pit. The two girls giggled again.

"Well, I guess that's fair. Since you took down that big doggy, I'll tell you." said the red-clad girl. "My name is Pyrrha."

"And I'm Luna. It's a pleasure." spoke the blonde-haired girl.

Eres seemed to gasp at the two of them.

"You're Pyrrha?" she asked. "So you're Prometheus' sister."

Pit's jaw dropped at that. "Say what?!"

"So you do know my brother." smirked Pyrrha. "He's quite the maverick. Not exactly easy trying to keep an eye on him. What a pain." she mumbled.

Ignoring her, Eres turned to Luna. "And you're the minor goddess in charge of the moon, Luna?"

"In the flesh!" giggled Luna while giving the peace sign.

"What is Prometheus' sister and a goddess of the moon doing in a place like this?" asked Pit.

Pyrrha and Luna looked at each other. "We're quite the team. Besides, big things are happening. Got to take action before hell breaks loose." said Pyrrha.

"What do you mean? Stop being so cryptic!" said Pit, getting a bit annoyed.

"Aw, but that ruins the fun." laughed Pyrrha. "I will tell you this though. My brother should be the least of your worries right now. You've got bigger problems."

"Bigger problems? Like Iris?" asked Pit.

"Maybe. Maybe not." laughed Luna. Pit was about to go crazy.

"Augh, you both are killing me here!" cried Pit. Both girls just continued to laugh before Pyrrha spoke up.

"But anyway, it was nice meeting you. Looks like this place is messed up enough. We'll need to find somewhere else." said Pyrrha. However, Pit had recovered from his little freak out and was armed and ready again.

"I don't think so. In the name of Lady Palutena, I can't let you go around destroying stuff." said Pit, beginning to charge the two girls.

"Pit wait!" cried Eres, but it was too late.

"Guess the little angel needs a lesson. Luna?" smirked Pyrrha. Luna smiled as she opened up her parasol, energy beginning to brim through it.

"Six Lights!" At her command, six beams of magical ice energy lashed out, slamming right into Pit and knocking him to the ground.

"Might want to train up a bit angel. Later." smirked Pyrrha before she and Luna teleported out of the forest, leaving just Pit and Eres. Pit struggled to get up from Luna's attack. It didn't look like much but it had power behind it.

"Pit, are you alright?" asked Eres as she came over and helped him up.

"Y-Yeah, I'll be fine. Just got a little winded. Man, there are so many strong people now. I have to become stronger myself if I'm to live up to Lady Palutena's expectations." said Pit resolutely.

"That sounds admirable, but you shouldn't rush it. Rushing to obtain strength never works out." warned Eres.

"Got it." said Pit. After that, Palutena warped Pit back while Eres warped back herself.

**(LINE BREAK)**

_Overworld Sanctuary_

"Pyrrha and Luna are around too?" asked Viridi. She was just hearing a report from her top commander, Phosphora.

"Yeah, I just saw them fighting Pit after he beat Twinbellows. I don't think much happened though." she said. Viridi sighed.

"Just great. Now we have to deal with Prometheus and his sister, and Luna is so slouch either." sighed Viridi.

"If I may Mistress Viridi, perhaps this distraction is what you need." Phosphora said solemnly. Viridi gave it some thought.

"You could be right. For now, keep working on getting things in order. We'll have to make a move eventually." said Viridi.

Phosphora nodded. "As you say. I just wish there could be another way."

"Me too Phosphora. Me too."

**(LINE BREAK)**

_Underworld Castle_

"I guess Twinbellows wasn't strong enough." said Iris, seeing the creature that she retrieved from the forest.

"It might be time to up the ante a bit."

**(END)**

**Pit defeats Twinbellows (again) but now has two new problems to deal with. How will he keep up with it all? What is Viridi planning? And what is Iris' next move? Stay tuned.**

**Now, for today's bio, we look at the first of the two new characters introduced: Pyrrha.**

*******Pyrrha*******

**Age: 16 (appearance-wise)**

**Appearance: She has brown hair tied into twin ponytails on the sides of her head. Her clothing is a mix of red and black, styled as a tight sleeveless top. She wears typical black pants, with brown boots. On her arms, she wears black armbands. Has quite a fair bit of muscle.**

**Japanese seiyu: Hoko Kuwashima**

**English VA: Tara Strong**

**Bio: Pyrrha is Prometheus's younger sister, and is able to keep up with him quite well. Unlike her brother, Pyrrha is a skilled martial artist, preferring to fight with her fists. Like her brother, she has a rebellious streak, but is not nearly as bloodthirsty as Prometheus. Luna is her best friend and the two form a great team. Her motives for her actions during the war so far are unknown.**

*******End bio*******

**Phew, and there does another chapter. Pit has a few more battles in front of him before he gets to face Iris head-on. Stay tuned and keep reviewing. Sentinel07, out!**


	9. Chapter 8: Nature vs Darkness Part 1

**Hello people! Sentinel07 here with Chapter 8.**

**As always, thanks to everyone who reviewed, including all the regulars. :)**

_Italics means a character's personal thoughts._

**_Bold and italics refers to quotes using telepathy_**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Kid Icarus or any other referenced video game or anime.**

**Now, let's begin!**

**(BEGIN)**

**Chapter 8: Nature vs. Darkness Part 1 - The Path to Strength**

_Skyworld_

"Come on Pit-stain! 10 more reps!" chanted Dark Pit.

Right now, Pit was in the weight room, bench pressing with Dark Pit watching. Right now, Pit was up to 120 lbs., which was a new record for him, but he wasn't satisfied.

Pit grunted harder, his red turning red under the pressure. He tried pushing the weight up, but he could feel his muscles betraying him. Seeing that he was losing it, Dark Pit helped him move the bar back to its resting spot, allowing Pit to catch his breath.

"Well, if it makes you feel better, it's a personal best." said Dark Pit. Pit huffed and puffed, trying to catch his breath before talking.

"It's still not enough." said Pit. "If I'm going to beat Prometheus or Iris, I need to become stronger."

"True, but I don't think just doing weights will help." shrugged Dark Pit. Pit gave that some thought.

"You're right. Time for some jogging. 100 laps around the temple or bust." declared Pit as he ran out of the run, not even giving Dark Pit time to retort.

"That man is going to kill himself." sighed Dark Pit.

**(LINE BREAK)**

_Outside the Temple_

Pit huffed and puffed outside Palutena's Temple, jogging until his thighs were begging for relief. He was only at 70 laps so far, another personal best, but still not enough for him.

"Phew….got to…keep going." puffed Pit as he willed himself to continue, taking a sip from his water canteen. However, he didn't get much further.

"_**Pit! Come in Pit!**_

"You called, Lady Palutena?" answered Pit.

"_**Come inside the temple quickly! Iris is attacking again!"**_

"Coming!" returned Pit. However, before he moved to go inside, he stopped to think. Both Iris and Prometheus showed overwhelming power. Even Pyrrha and Luna were incredibly strong. Pit was beginning to wonder if he could truly protect everyone he cared about. Not just Palutena, but also Dark Pit and Viridi, as well as all his other friends.

Pit sighed as he walked inside. There wasn't much use worrying about it right now. All he could do was trust his strength and move onward.

_Inside the Temple_

"So what is Iris attacking now?" asked Pit to Palutena.

"We've found Underworld troops swarming around the Valhalla Plains. It's yet another hot spot for Viridi." explained Palutena.

"Wow, she really does have it out for her. I mean, she hasn't even attacked any human cities." said Dark Pit.

"You're right. Iris doesn't seem to be interested in the humans. All of her resources are going after Viridi. And this is a particularly large force. Iris must have decided to turn up the heat after Pit defeated Twinbellows." explained Palutena.

"What are the Forces of Nature doing?" asked Pit.

"Getting decimated right now. Granted, Viridi has plenty more forces, but right now, the Underworld Army is cutting through them like swiss cheese."

Right after that, Palutena turned to Pit. "Pit, we need you to go to the plains and assist in whatever means necessary to make sure Iris doesn't destroy those lands."

"Understood, Lady Palutena!" saluted Pit.

"Am I on the sidelines again?" asked Dark Pit with a bit of a snarl.

"Actually, I would like to ask you something too if you're up for it." said Palutena.

"I'm listening." said Dark Pit.

**(LINE BREAK)**

Soon enough, Pit was on his way, the Power of Flight carrying him through the air to the Valhalla Plains.

"So what's the story behind the plains?" asked Pit.

"_**They were once the site of a great battle, long before you were even thought of. To date, you could still say it was the bloodiest battle in human history. It was pretty much the first time the balance of souls got completely disrupted and corrupted."**_ explained Palutena.

"Wow, sounds nasty." replied Pit.

"_**Yes. Anyway, after the battle, the plains were a barren wasteland. Nothing would grow. However, slowly but surely, Viridi has brought the plains back to life. You could say that it was her first major achievement as the goddess of nature."**_ said Palutena.

"I imagine these plains must mean a lot to her." said Pit.

"_**Exactly, and that's why we must do what he can to help her."**_ said Palutena.

"You got it!" cried Pit, speeding up his flight path.

**(LINE BREAK)**

_Near the plains_

"Lady Palutena! I think the plains are in sight!" cried Pit.

"_**And so are the Underworld troops."**_ replied Palutena. _**"Oh, and an old friend is back too."**_ she smiled cheekily. Pit wondered what she was talking about, until he heard a dragon's roar from above him. His heart fell into his stomach at that moment.

"Hewdraw?! Seriously?! She brought back Hewdraw?!" cried an exasperated Pit.

"_**Sounds like Iris got the whole gang back together. Well, I'm sure you know what to do now. Just member that if you have trouble, I still have my Sacred Goddess Clobber Laser."**_

"I thought it was Glam Blaster." replied Pit, but Palutena gave no reply. Pit would have tried to talk back, but he unfortunately had company as a large shadow loomed over him.

"Uh oh." piped Pit.

**(AN: To refer to each Hewdraw head, they will be referred by their colors: Blue Head (the right one), Purple Head (middle), and Violet Head (left))**

"Well hello little angel." growled Blue Head.

"Long time no see." said Purple Head.

"You look as tasty as you did before." said Violet Head.

"Seriously, why won't you guys stay dead?!" Pit cried out right in front of them.

"Now that's not very nice." said Violet Head.

"You should learn more manners." said Purple Head.

"Come a little closer and say that." said Blue Head, baring his fangs. Pit readied his bow, but his hands were shaky.

"What the? Come on hands. Don't fail me now." said Pit, trying to line up a good shot, but his hands continued to shake.

"What are you waiting for Pit?" asked Purple Head.

"That's none of your business! I'm just….testing my bow string." Pit lied. Unfortunately, Hewdraw wasn't stupid.

"Sure, and I'm an amphibian." replied Purple Head sarcastically. "You've never been this shaky. Are you that terrified of our master's power? Or perhaps Prometheus?"

The fact that the Hewdraw head nailed it perfectly surprised Pit. He didn't want to admit it, but the dragon was right.

"Can't we just eat him while he's distressed?" asked Violet Head.

"I'm hungry." growled Blue Head.

"Shut up both of you! We're having a discussion. No one is eating anyone until we finish." said Purple Head. "Now, as I recall, you never seemed to hesitate when you fought me, or us, in the past."

"I-I know that. I've always known that." said Pit.

"Then why do you hesitate now? You never have before. It's no fun fighting someone who can't fight back." replied Purple Head.

The fact that Pit was getting an inspirational pep talk from a Hewdraw head was quite disturbing, but Pit had to admit that he had a point. Pit never bothered to let his doubts rule him in the past. Whenever he came across an enemy, he would fight to the bitter end, even if it finished him. That was his way. That was who he is.

Suddenly, Pit gave a very familiar smirk.

"Hewdraw….you are going to be sorry for that pep talk." he smiled at he fully prepared his bow.

"Now that's more like it! Have at you!" roared Purple Head, as Hewdraw and Pit rushed in for another clash.

**(LINE BREAK)**

_Overworld Sanctuary_

Phosphora ran up the stairs at Viridi's sanctuary, heading towards the central hall, where Viridi was waiting for a report. She finally made it up, huffing and puffing as she came to a stop.

"Phew…huff…maybe next time…I should fly up the stairs." she said as she caught her breath.

"What is your report Phosphora?" asked Viridi.

"Iris' forces are attacking the Valhalla Plains en masse. We've also spotted that Hewdraw is also in the area, but Pit seems to be engaging him." she explained.

"I see." said Viridi. After that, Phosphora looked around.

"Where's Arlon?" she asked.

"He's at the first site." said Viridi.

"You mean…**that **first site?" asked Phosphora.

"Indeed. It's the first step towards the end." said Viridi solemnly. Phosphora nodded, showing her own sadness before continuing.

"There's something else too." said Phosphora.

"And what's that?" asked Viridi.

"Iris has personally called you out to the plains to confront her. If not, she will burn the place to ashes." said Phosphora.

Viridi wasn't too surprised. She would have been if Iris had said nothing, but she knew that Iris wouldn't stop until she got what she wanted, whatever it was.

"I don't get it. What does she want with you?" asked Phosphora.

"Truthfully, I don't know. Maybe I'll find out once I meet her."

**(END)**

**With this, we have entered the first of a 3-part arc in the story, named "Nature vs. Darkness". Trust me, this little arc will have plenty to offer, including pretty much our first acts of drama.**

**Don't you just love Hewdraw? Such a classy boss. **

**Now, for today's bio, we look at the other new character introduced last chapter: Luna.**

*******Luna*******

**Age: 16 (appearance-wise)**

**Appearance: She's about the same size as Pyrrha, with short blonde hair that doesn't reach her shoulders. She wears turquoise and white clothing, stylized like a small sleeveless dress. Underneath, she wears black leggings with white boots. On her arms, she wears white elbow-length gloves that have shades of turquoise.**

**Japanese seiyu: Fumiko Orikasa**

**English VA: Janice Kawaye**

**Bio: Luna is Pyyrha's best friend. She's a minor moon goddess, but is a bit of a free spirit. She actually hadn't seen much of the world before meeting Pyrrha, and she has explored many parts of the world since. She uses a parasol in battle.**

*******End bio*******

**And with that, Part 1 of this arc is finished. Stay tuned for Part 2! Sentinel07, out!**


	10. Chapter 9: Nature vs Darkness Part 2

**Hello people! Sentinel07 here with Chapter 9.**

**Thanks once again to everyone who reviewed, especially those who have been around since the very beginning. :)**

_Italics means a character's personal thoughts._

**_Bold and italics refers to quotes using telepathy._**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Kid Icarus or any other referenced video game or anime.**

**Now, let's begin! I'm especially curious to hear the feedback for this chapter, for better or for worse.  
**

**(BEGIN)**

**Chapter 9: Nature vs. Darkness Part 2 – Meeting of Powers**

_Somewhere_

"Where is this stupid place again?" asked Dark Pit.

He was now in the Lightning Chariot, speeding towards an unknown destination. Palutena had sent him on a mission on his own, one of great importance as she put it. However, she didn't really explain why.

"_**It's just a little father. Keep going."**_ urged Palutena.

"Fine, but I fail to see what's so important that you need me to do it." said Dark Pit. Right as he said that, he felt a familiar surge of electricity in the air. He didn't even really need to look at who appeared next to him.

"What do you want Phosphora?" Dark Pit glared at her.

"Wow, someone's especially dark today. Don't you ever get tired of being grumpy?" giggled Phosphora as she flew alongside the Lightning Chariot.

"I think a better question would be why you seem to enjoy annoying me." replied Dark Pit.

"Because it's way too easy to do. You take everything too seriously." pouted Phosphora. Dark Pit shrugged at that before returning to guiding the Chariot.

"Well whatever. Do you mind leaving now? I've got something to do." said Dark Pit. Phosphora smirked at him.

"Duh, I already knew that. I'm here to look with you." she smiled.

"And why in the world would you do that?" sighed Dark Pit.

"Because Mistress Viridi also asked me to check out the site you're going to. It is one of those extra special places after all." said Phosphora.

"Just go away. I don't need your help." scoffed Dark Pit. He went back to guiding the Chariot, but Phosphora still wouldn't leave.

"You can be so mean. You'll never pick up girls with that attitude." she said.

"Who says I'm even trying? Now get out of here and go annoy someone else." scoffed Dark Pit, lashing the reins on Phos and Lux a bit more. Despite this, Phosphora still wouldn't leave, making Dark Pit sigh.

"Sigh, fine. Just don't talk too much." he groaned, making Phosphora smile.

"Aw, thanks Pittoo." giggled Phosphora, making Dark Pit grit his teeth in anger.

"Seriously, that is the last time I want to hear Pittoo!"

**(LINE BREAK)**

_Back at the Valhalla Plains_

"Give up! You're mathematically outnumbered!"

"Be quiet! Nobody said there'd be math!"

Pit was now engaged in a brutal battle with the revived Hewdraw. While Hewdraw's attacks were mostly the same as he always has, the beast wasn't nearly as easy as he was before. Hewdraw wasn't stupid after all. Pit would have to be smart to pull out a win here.

"You've gotten stronger haven't you?" smirked Pit at the three-headed beast.

"Heh heh, you're not the only one who can get stronger you know. You have no idea how strong the three of us are when we're focused." smirked Purple Head.

Pit fired some more arrows at the beast, a few hitting but Hewdraw dodged the rest. Violet head came in for a vicious chomp at Pit, but the angel sidestepped to dodge it. Close-range combat wasn't exactly ideal for this situation, given the aerial situation and how the two combatants attacked. Despite this, Pit didn't want to have to resort to Palutena using her "Clobber Laser" to defeat him. Hewdraw just gave him a rousing speech about him needing to have more confidence in himself to become stronger. Pit wasn't going to follow that up with needing Palutena to win the battle for him.

Pit then rolled to the side as Blue Head unleashed a stream of flame at him. He quickly had to do it again as streams of flame from the other two heads came right after.

"Sheesh. Not kidding around huh?" muttered Pit as he got himself upright again.

Hewdraw then charged in again, all three heads getting ready for a huge attack. Pit once again prepped himself. This was going to be a long battle indeed.

**(LINE BREAK)**

_Meanwhile, in another part of the plains_

While all of this was going on, with the Forces of Nature and the Underworld Army going at each other, Viridi walked onto the plains, looking around at the violent scenery around her.

"Sigh and I just got the place working again." groaned Viridi.

A stray Monoeye charged at Viridi, but she easily repelled it with a nature spell, destroying it instantly. She pulled out her staff, which was similar to the one she always used, except a little longer to account for her taller frame. She began walking through the swarm of fighting enemies, not really caring too much about them right now. Only thing to go was to let that play out for now. She had somewhere to get to.

After having to repel a few more Underworld troops along the way, Viridi reached the center of the plains, where a lone figure was sitting, it's back turned to her. Viridi could tell who it was, judging by the information she had heard from Pit and Palutena from Pit's previous missions.

The figure didn't seem to acknowledge Viridi's presence. In fact, the figure showed no indication that it knew she was there. Viridi could even hear the figure whispering to itself.

"Is this right? Am I doing the right thing by doing this? Would Mom and Dad approve?" the figure whispered before apparently shaking its head. "No, why am I thinking that? Of course they would approve. They want this as much as I do. Everyone does."

Viridi could sense a solemn tone from the figure, and decided to make her presence known.

"You having an inner monologue?" asked Viridi, a bit of a sarcastic tone in that. The figure jumped in surprise, obviously not expecting it. It turned, and Viridi could easily see that it was Iris.

"Who would have guessed that the new Underworld leader could be easily snuck-up on." smirked Viridi. However, her grin went away as Iris got a straight look at Viridi, her face slowly beginning to twist in anger.

"You!"

**(LINE BREAK)**

Pit dodged to the side again, getting out of the way of Hewdraw's fire breath attack.

"Sheesh, this is taking forever. And dodging his fire attacks is getting harder." grunted Pit.

"_**Do a barrel roll!"**_ advised Palutena.

"That's not really helping!" retorted Pit as he dodged yet another fire breath attack. He had managed to bet by so far with barely dodging Hewdraw's attacks and getting in a few arrows here and there, but it was taking forever at this rate. Pit needed to wrap this up. Who knows if Prometheus or any of the others were here? Pit needed to find out for sure.

"Getting tired angel?" gloated Purple Head as he came in for a chomp attack. Pit rolled to dodge, although Purple Head got a little damage in, grazing Pit's side.

"Are you alright?" asked Palutena.

"It's alright Lady Palutena. Just a flesh wound." grinned Pit. At that point, from how Pit and Hewdraw were flying, they were nearing a mountainous area near the Plains. That was where Pit began to get an idea.

"Come on!" challenged Pit, firing more arrows at Hewdraw. As expected, Hewdraw followed Pit, going into the mountains. Pit headed towards the ground, almost as if he was going to collide with it, something Palutena was beginning to worry about.

"_**Pit! What are you doing?!"**_

"Just trust me!" Pit called back as he neared the ground, with Hewdraw hot on his tail. As he fell down, Pit began to charge an arrow, which Hewdraw saw.

"Those arrows of yours haven't been so effective." said Purple Head as he roared at Pit. Pit smirked and faced Hewdraw.

"We'll see." said Pit as he suddenly jerked to the left.

However, he did this right before he hit the plateau, but Hewdraw was going too fast for him to stop, causing him to collide right into the plateau, shaking the mountain and causing dozens of boulders to fall down.

"Oh yeah! That worked perfectly!" cheered Pit as he arched back his bow. "Now to finish it!"

Pit fired his charged arrow at Hewdraw, hitting the beast square in the chest. Hewdraw roared as the blast caused him to fall further down the mountain, impacting and shaking the ground as he fell, unconscious.

"Oh yeah! Number one again baby!" cheered Pit, doing a little victory dance in mid-air.

"_**I'm happy for you Pit, but don't you have other problems?" asked**_ Palutena. Pit immediately stopped, getting back on his flight pattern.

"Oh right! I need to get back to the Plains!" he said.

"_**Better hurry too. The Power of Flight is almost completely run out."**_ warned Palutena.

After that, Pit immediately flew back to the Plains, landing on the nearby ground just as the Power of Flight left his wings.

"Phew. A little too close there." said Pit.

"_**Well, no harm no foul."**_ said Palutena. _**"Now, you need to get moving to the center. I sense Viridi and Iris there."**_

"Uh oh. That's not good, especially if Iris really has it out for Viridi!"

**(LINE BREAK)**

"Me?" asked Viridi at Iris' comment. Iris' face seemed to be a mix of surprise and anger, although slowly becoming more of the latter. "Weren't you expecting me? You did call me out here after all."

Iris fiercely gripped Gáe Bolg, dark energy beginning to stream off of him. "At long last. Time for me to get payback."

Viridi raised an eyebrow. "You're not going to introduce yourself? We've never met before right?" she smirked. Iris seemed to get even angrier.

"You know who I am. Iris, leader of the Underworld." she seethed.

"You're not using your title? People often call you the Fell Warrior I hear." said Viridi.

"I don't care for such titles." spat Iris. "Now enough talk! I've been waiting too long to thrust Gáe Bolg through your chest, and now I finally have that chance."

"Look, I don't know why you're so amped up over me, but I'm not going to roll over and die just because you say so." warned Viridi, bringing her staff to a fighting position.

"Enough talk!" growled Iris as she suddenly sped right towards Viridi, lunging with her double-bladed spear. "KRESNIK SPEAR!"

Viridi's eyes widened as she quickly erected a barrier at the very last second. Gáe Bolg was engulfed in dark flames of dark red and purple as it impacted her shield, sending a shockwave throughout the immediate area.

Iris scoffed and retreated back a ways. "That's a troublesome barrier you have. Oh well, I'll break it down soon enough." she spat, as Gáe Bolg was again engulfed in dark red and purple flames.

Viridi actually found that she had to catch her breath a bit. Iris' attack was straightforward yet brutal.

"That spear is truly formidable." she muttered as she prepared herself again.

"You won't get off easy this time!" said Iris as she prepared to lunge again.

However, this fight was about to be interrupted.

"Hold up there!" called Pit as he landed in the area, situating himself next to Viridi, Sacred Bow of Palutena at the ready.

"Pit." muttered Viridi.

"Can't have you just going around and attacking my friends. I won't let you harm Viridi!" defended Pit.

Iris glared at him. "You dare interrupt?! I'll kill you as well if you try to stop me!"

"You don't scare me! I don't know why you're so hell-bent on killing Viridi, but I won't let you kill her over something she didn't do!" said Pit.

Hearing Pit's word, Iris did something that neither Pit or Viridi could see coming. She lifted her head up and laughed. Not an evil laugh per se, more of one of amusement. Kind of like a little kid who just found something to be extremely funny.

"Something she didn't do?! Hahahahaha! You don't know the half of it!" laughed Iris as she began to calm down a bit.

"What do you mean?" asked Pit, with Viridi wondering the same thing. Iris calmed herself down and put a hand to her face.

"You know nothing. Nothing of what she did to me." said Iris with a slight solemn tone. "She's the reason why I'm like this."

"What?" asked Pit, both he and Viridi becoming even more confused.

At those words, Iris looked them both straight in the eye.

"I'm like this because she killed me. Me and my whole family!"

**(END)**

**What's this?! Iris was killed by Viridi?! Along with her family?! What is the meaning of all this? The answers and more wait in the finale of the Nature vs. Darkness arc, coming very soon.**

**For this chapter's bio, we look at the top commander of the Forces of Nature: Phosphora the Lightning Flash:**

*******Phosphora*******

**Age: 16-17 (appearance-wise)**

**Appearance: Same as Uprising.**

**Japanese seiyu: Yuka Komatsu**

**English VA: Kari Wahlgren**

**Bio: Phosphora is a nymph (nature spirit) that has remained the top commander in Viridi's army. However, she has recently grown very concerned for Viridi, but unfortunately has no choice but to go along with her plans. She has been in contact with Dark Pit often, which has often annoyed the dark angel. Viridi thinks that she likes Dark Pit, although Phosphora is quick to deny it.**

*******End bio*******

**And that's all for yet another installment. Stay tuned for the exciting and dramatic finale of this min-arc in the upcoming Part 3! As always, review and let me know what you think. Sentinel07, signing out!**


	11. Chapter 10: Nature vs Darkness Part 3

**Hello people! Sentinel07 here with Chapter 10.**

**As always, thanks to everyone who reviewed. You all make it worth continuing. :)  
**

**Please also make sure to read all the author's notes, just in case you normally don't.**

_Italics means a character's personal thoughts._

**_Bold and italics refers to quotes using telepathy._**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Kid Icarus or any other referenced video game or anime.**

**Now, let's begin!**

(BEGIN)

**Chapter 10: Nature vs. Darkness Part 3 – Revelations**

The force of Iris' words shocked Pit, Viridi, and anyone who was listening in on the conversation. Iris was killed in the past? And by Viridi? It didn't make any sense to Pit or Viridi.

"What are you talking about? I've never even met you!" called Viridi.

"I figured you would say that. It's so obvious that you don't really care for humans." scowled Iris.

"Just what do you mean? Nothing you say makes any sense! Explain yourself!" said Pit, keeping his bow at the ready.

Iris sighed, lowering her spear. "I suppose I can spare an explanation. Guess it'll be nice to know the reason why I will kill you." she continued.

"Then tell us." commanded Pit, not letting up an inch.

Iris sighed again, and that's when Pit noticed something. People don't give him much credit, but Pit could be quite insightful when he wanted to be. He saw the look in Iris' eyes. He could see that sadness he saw the last time he saw her. In fact, you could almost think that she was about to cry.

But no tears were shed as Iris went into explanation.

"I was born in a city called Domen. Just your average city, nothing too special. My father was one of the city's finest generals, and I also had my mother and older brother. My life was simple, but enjoyable. I had anything a little girl could have in a family. It was quiet and peaceful."

"You see, my family was also descended from the fire nymph, Duma, but some called her Kresnik. However, that was many generations ago, so it didn't mean too much. But a lot of other people knew about it, and we were treated kindly." she explained.

"_**She's descended from Duma? That explains her amazing fire powers."**_ said Palutena.

"Who's Duma?" asked Pit.

"_**As Iris said, she was a fire nymph. One of the stronger ones, opposite of Mila, her sibling. She was known as the Fire Lord for her power. But she passed on long ago."**_ said Palutena sadly.

Iris heard Palutena talk and shook her head.

"Whenever Duma entered my family was a long time ago. I didn't possess such powers when I was alive. Such things likely had long since faded in my family." explained Iris before continuing.

"But back to my main topic. My life was rather normal. Everyone described me as a sweet and charming little girl. But then….." she trailed off.

"But then?" asked Viridi.

"Outside my home, a war between humans had broken out. They were fighting over something. Something called the Wish Seed." explained Iris.

Pit and the others shivered slightly over the reminder. That was the first major conflict after Pit defeated Medusa. Hades had tricked all the humans into believing in an all-powerful Wish Seed that could grant any desire.

"My dad was fighting to defend our home, and I was hiding in my house with my mom and brother. I remember that I was scared, but I was sure that it would all end peacefully." said Iris before taking a breath. Her stare bore into Pit and Viridi at her next statement.

"But everything changed, when a red star appeared in the dark sky….."

*******Flashback*******

_5 Years earlier in the city of Domen_

"Is Daddy okay?" asked little 7-year old Iris to her mother. The mother smiled at her daughter.

"It's okay Iris. Daddy will come home when they stop fighting." she said.

"Yeah, Dad won't let anyone get in here." smiled Iris' older brother. She smiled at both of them.

"Yeah, and when Dad comes back, we can play ball again!" she cheered, clapping her hands. Mother smiled at her and shook her head.

"You really like to play don't you?" she said, making Iris nod her head. Iris grabbed her ball, bouncing it around a bit. She really wanted to go back outside and play with everyone, but they had all been told to remain in their homes until the war outside had subsided. With that, Iris looked out her window, seeing signs of the battle and praying that everyone would stop and be happy again.

Right at that moment, Iris saw something in the sky. A red star it appeared to be.

"Mommy, what's that? It's so pretty." she said, pointing to the "star". The mother looked at it.

"I don't know sweetheart. It doesn't look like any star I've seen before." said the mother.

"Maybe it's a huge fireball coming down!" exaggerated the brother.

"I hope it's a star. If it is, does that mean I can make a wish?" asked Iris.

"I'm sure you can sweety." said the mother. Iris cheered and put her hands together in a praying fashion.

"_I wish everyone would stop fighting. I wish I could help everyone stop fighting."_ she repeated in her head.

However, as Iris soon noticed, the "star" kept getting bigger. And bigger. And bigger still, until it looked even bigger than the sun.

"Mommy, it's coming this way." said Iris, beginning to look a little worried. She turned her head back to the window, and the "star" was getting even bigger at a rapid pace. Soon, it was huge, and even Iris could see that it was coming straight towards them. She could hear other people starting to panic as they saw it coming.

"Mommy! Big brother!" she called out one last time before she felt the ground impact below her. Not even a second passed before she and her family and city were engulfed in the "star's" explosion.

"_I wish I could help everyone stop fighting." _

*******End flashback*******

Nothing could describe the amount of shock on Pit and Viridi's faces. Even Palutena was stunned silent by what she just heard. The silence was deafening.

"You mean…." muttered Viridi.

"That's right. It was a Reset Bomb. The very Reset Bomb you used to kill the humans during the Wish Seed incident. That bomb not only engulfed the warring armies, but also most of my home, and killed the majority of humans living there." said Iris before going into more explanation.

"Next thing I knew, I felt like I was floating, like I was stuck in some weird limbo. I didn't know what to think, only that I didn't want to die. I was so scared back then. I didn't want to die. I don't know how long I was there. But suddenly, the next thing I knew, I was in a dark place, which I found out was the Underworld. I looked around and saw nothing that was familiar at all. Then, I looked at myself. I couldn't even recognize myself. I was bigger, and I looked a lot older than I did before. I looked like how you see me right now."

"But how did that happen?" asked Pit. However, Palutena intervened this time.

"_**Wait, I think I see now. You're a Fellblood."**_ said Palutena.

"A what?" asked Pit.

"_**Remember how I told you that, sometimes, souls come together and form a new being on their own, without influence from someone like Hades? Those beings that form by themselves are called Fellbloods. A ton of souls come together and form one being. Eventually, one soul becomes the dominant personality and forms the new being."**_ explained Palutena.

"Wait, so Iris came to be because she became the dominant personality?" asked Pit.

"That's right." said Viridi. "The strength and vitality of the soul determines which one becomes dominant. For Iris here to become the dominant one, she must have possessed a very strong soul, despite her age."

Iris scoffed at them.

"You make it sound so simple. Do you have any idea just which souls compose my body?" asked Iris.

Pit was confused, but Viridi figured it out. "You mean….your family?"

"Correct." spat Iris. "The souls that compose me include my own family; my father, mother, and even my big brother. Even the friends I used to play with are inside me." To Pit, Iris really looked like she was about to cry, but still no tears were shed.

"My own body, the one I use even now, is a prison. My own family can't even rest in peace because they're inside me, and I'm cursed to live like this." said Iris, tightening her grip on Gae Bolg. "This is all because of you, goddess of nature! You mercilessly killed all those humans, including me, and cursed me to be some Underworld monster. I will give you justice!"

With that, Iris charged towards Viridi, but Pit was there in an attempt to block it. Gae Bolg was again engulfed in flames.

"KRESNIK SPEAR!" The full force of the attack slammed into Pit, who was spared any grievous wounds thanks to Viridi's magic. Still, the sheer force of the attack knocked them both back. Pit staggered to his feet, not knowing what to think.

He just heard this girl's tragic backstory, but he still needed to protect Viridi. He didn't know what to think.

He expected Iris to attack again. Surprisingly however, she didn't. She just stood and stared at Pit.

"So you still protect her. You truly are my enemy then." she said, closing her eyes. Pit honestly couldn't tell what to think right now. He felt conflicted after hearing Iris' story.

However, Iris didn't make another move. She looked to the side and looked at the still warring Forces of Nature and Underworld Army. She sighed.

"It looks like things are winding down for now. Guess I'll let you live for now. I'll need to be better prepared for next time. But I will be back. Count on it." said Iris ominously. She called back the Underworld Army, teleporting herself away, leaving behind an exhausted Pit and Viridi.

Pit fell to the ground, physically and mentally exhausted after what just happened. His mind was filled with so many things now. He didn't know what to do.

"_**Pit, let's retreat for now."**_ said Palutena.

"Alright Lady Palutena." replied Pit. "You okay Viridi?"

"I'll be fine. Go back home for now." said Viridi. Pit shrugged and left Palutena's ray of light escort him back to Skyworld. He would have much thinking to do.

**(LINE BREAK)**

_Meanwhile…_

"The Valley of Repose seems to be reacting to something. As if someone turned it on or something." said Dark Pit.

He and Phosphora had arrived at the Valley of Repose, another special location for Viridi and where Palutena has asked him to go. He was to report on anything unusual.

"_**I see. Thank you. We should regroup after what just happened."**_ said Palutena.

"Things look serious." said Phosphora.

"No kidding." said Dark Pit as he felt Palutena escort him back to Skyworld, leaving Phosphora with her own thoughts.

**(END)**

**Wow. Just wow. Ain't that a back story for the ages? Hopefully it is. We'll soon be entering the final stretch of Part 1. **

**Fire Emblem fans will likely recognize where I got the names Duma and Mila. I know Duma was used for a guy, but I think I made it work here.**

**Another thing, the way Iris came to be was inspired by the menos from Bleach.**

**Just as a heads up, I won't be creating a new story for Part 2. Everything will be in this story.**

**Now, we have no real characters to bio this time. Well, for a little mixing it up, we're going to look at some of the newest weapons/items introduced in this story. We'll start with Iris' spear, Gáe Bolg:**

*******Gáe Bolg*******

**Appearance: A double-blade spear that is black in color. Covered in demonic armor similar to Iris' own. **

**Bio: Similar to how the Three Sacred Treasures protect Skyworld, Gáe Bolg is a special weapon made for the leader of the Underworld. However, it cannot be used by someone who's heart is pure darkness. It's naturally attuned to the element of fire, which makes it a perfect fit for Iris.**

*******End bio*******

**Now, something I'd like to put out there. My inspiration for Iris being hit by Viridi's Reset Bomb back in Uprising's Chapter 11 came from when I noticed a human structure being engulfed in the blast. However, looking back at the chapter, I realize now that it might have just been a human fort instead of a town. However, for the sake of creative license, we're going to imagine that it was at least a small town that got caught in the middle of the blast. I hope you're all okay with that.**

**Well, stay tuned for more. We've got about a couple battles left before the end of Part 1. Thanks for watching and review if it pleases you. Sentinel07, signing out!**


	12. Chapter 11: Conflict of Interests

**Hello people! Sentinel07 here with Chapter 11.**

_Italics means a character's personal thoughts._

**_Bold and italics refers to quotes using telepathy._**

**Well, to my pleasant surprise, Iris' back story was well-received in the last chapter, which has given me some new confidence about her character. Out of all my OC's, she might be becoming my favorite.**

**Now, Simcomba actually asked in a recent review if I will start accepting any OC requests from the audience. To answer his/her question and to tell all of you, I will be happy to listen to any and all OC requests. They can be either by the e-mail or in a review. I don't care which. Of course, just suggesting it doesn't mean it'll be in the story, as it will have to fit. However, I assure you that any will be considered. Just to let you know though, no more OC's will likely be introduced during Part 1. I think it's crowded enough right now. However, Part 2 is still very much in development so any character could be a possibility there.**

**And another thing, I've gotten many comments on how people haven't been able to get a good read on Eres, Pyrrha, and Luna due to their limited roles. To be honest, as it is Pit's story, I might not be able to show them a lot. Besides, right now, they are involved in things that would spoil the story if I put them in more. So, we are going to have a Paralogue chapter (side chapter) later on that will show some behind-the-scenes looks at what happened over the course of Part 1 and how things came to be.  
**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Kid Icarus or any other referenced video game or anime.**

**Now, let's begin!**

**(BEGIN)**

**Chapter 11: Conflict of Interest**

Pit sat on the edge of the entrance to Palutena's Temple, gloomily looking out over the landscape.

"What do I do?" he asked himself.

It had been 3 days since the battle at the Valhalla Plains, and Pit had wondered to himself daily about how to proceed. Ever since he heard Iris' story, he felt conflicted. This girl was supposed to be his enemy, and yet he couldn't bring himself to truly think of her as one. She had suffered through so much, and to be truthful, her vendetta against Viridi wasn't totally unfounded. It had truth to it, despite the fact that Hades started the whole thing.

Since then, Palutena had been wrapped up in her temple, doing her best to figure this whole situation out. Dark Pit had returned with the report that the Valley of Repose he visited was acting up somehow. That seemed to disturb her to some extent.

"Maybe I need some fresh air." said Pit, deciding to go ask Dark Pit if he could borrow the Lightning Chariot.

**(LINE BREAK)**

"Why are you still hanging around here?" asked Dark Pit to Phosphora.

After the incident, Phosphora had been often hanging around Dark Pit. He had just lent Pit the Lightning Chariot, since he had nothing better to do, but made sure to tell Pit to bring it back on a full tank of gas.

"Because I don't have anything else to do right now." smiled Phosphora.

"Then why don't you go hang around your goddess?" asked Dark Pit. Phosphora's smile fell a bit.

"She's not in the mood to talk right now." said Phosphora.

"So when all else fails, you come to me? How touching." Dark Pit said sarcastically.

"Hey, believe it or not, I actually do like being around you." defended Phosphora.

"First time anyone has said that." commented Dark Pit, although he didn't seem to think much of it. Phosphora didn't really seem to know how to get to Dark Pit. The angel just seemed to reflect every comment off of him like he didn't really care.

Phosphora sighed. Who knows if she would ever get through to Dark Pit.

**(LINE BREAK)**

Pit had landed the Lightning Chariot just a bit outside a town. Making sure Phos and Lux wouldn't go anywhere, Pit began taking a walk around. He had no real destination in mind. He just needed space, lots of space.

"How do I fight someone who has gone through so much, even if they're a bit misguided?" wondered Pit.

However, he soon got an unexpected visitor.

"Angel face? What are you doing here?" asked a rather gruff voice.

Pit turned around and saw none other than Magnus, one of the finest human mercenaries around. Pit actually smiled as he appeared.

"Magnus! Long time no see!" said Pit as he and Magnus high-fived. "How have you been doing?"

"Same old same old. Nothing really new. What are you doing hanging around here? You don't look like you're on a mission." asked Magnus.

"No." Pit shook his head. "I'm here just to clear my head. Lots of things have happened and I don't really know what to do."

Magnus looked at Pit, looking like a father would look at his kid if he was lost. "Hey Angel Face, why don't you come over to my house for a sec? I'm sure Gaol will enjoy seeing you. You haven't been around in over a year."

"Well, I have been busy, but anyway, sure I'd like to come." said Pit.

"Good. It's just nearby." said Magnus, resting his large sword on his shoulder as he walked off, with Pit walking behind.

(LINE BREAK)

Palutena sighed as she went through a lot of papers. She was trying to find anything that would help, but nothing seemed to connect.

"This is frustrating." sighed Palutena.

"Palutena! Are you alright?" called a voice. Palutena smiled lightly as Eres entered the room, a large package behind her.

"What is that?" she asked.

"Dyntos created a smaller version of the Great Sacred Treasure for Pit. I don't get why he's having me deliver them though." pouted Eres. Palutena giggled lightly.

"Well, I'm sure he has his reasons." said Palutena before going back to her work.

"You worried about what happened at Valhalla?" asked Eres.

"Yes. For once, I can honestly say that even I don't know what to do. I don't know how to handle Iris and Viridi." said Palutena. Eres nodded in understanding.

"I'm sure things will work out somehow. Pit has always come through. I trust that, when the time comes, we'll know what we'll need to do." smiled Eres.

"I hope you're right." said Palutena with a light smile.

**(LINE BREAK)**

"Wow, your house has gotten bigger since the last time." said Pit as he looked at the house Magnus and Gaol called home.

"Kind of needed to. Occupancy doubled in the past year." said Magnus.

"You're letting other people stay?" asked Pit.

"Sort of." smiled Magnus. As he said that, he opened the door. Pit could see Gaol in the back, wearing more casual clothes and doing some dishes.

"Hey Gaol, I'm home." said Magnus. Gaol turned her head and smiled at Magnus.

"Glad to see you're still in one piece after that last mission." she said.

"Heh, gonna take more than that to kill me." said Magnus as he and Gaol shared a kiss. Then, Pit heard some crying from upstairs.

"Um, I think someone is upstairs." commented Pit.

"Yeah, I bet. Come on Angel face." said Magnus.

"Oh, well okay. Hi Gaol." said Pit with a wave to Gaol, who waved back and smiled. Magnus brought Pit to one of the newer rooms. He opened the door, which seemed to let loose a loud amount of crying. So much that Pit had to close his ears.

"Now now, Daddy's here you two." chuckled Magnus.

"Daddy?!" Pit nearly cried out. He followed Magnus into the room, to where Magnus was looking over a crib. Pit looked over it and smiled.

"Awww." Pit saw two babies; one boy and the other a girl. Both of them bore many similarities to Magnus and Gaol.

So you guys…" started Pit.

"Yeah, they're twins. Started not too long after the last time I saw you. Jacob there is the older one, and that one's Amanda." said Magnus.

Pit reached down and began tickling both babies. Both of them began to laugh at Pit.

"I think they like me." smiled Pit.

"Well, I would think so." said Magnus. He then looked at the smiling Pit. "You seem to be in brighter spirits now. I'd say you got what you needed to clear your head."

Pit looked at Magnus and then looked at the twins. "Yeah, you're right. I still don't know how I'll handle Viridi and Iris, but I think this calmed me down. Thanks Magnus." said Pit.

"No problem Angel face." smirked Magnus.

Later on, Pit eventually left them, saying good bye to everyone. He got back on Phos and Lux and headed back to Skyworld, awaiting his next chance to see Iris.

**(LINE BREAK)**

Meanwhile, two distant figures watched the Lightning Chariot head back to Skyworld.

"What do you think Pyrrha?" asked Luna, twirling her parasol.

"I'm not too sure. Things will become very troublesome if they stay the way they are. Pit's gonna have to become much stronger for what lies ahead, especially if my brother starts targeting him." said Pyrrha.

"Sounds like you still wouldn't like to align yourself with Skyworld." smiled Luna. Pyrrha smirked back.

"No way, highly unlikely. I just would rather not see this world become a mess." she said, looking out over the landscape.

**(END)**

**This chapter was more of a lull I admit. However, I felt it was necessary. The conflict with Viridi and Iris is effecting everyone, and they all have to figure out how to handle it.**

**Anyway, we finally see Magnus and Gaol. Quite honestly, I'm not going to bio them, but I will say some things about them. They're pretty much the same as they were in Uprising. They have gotten married since then and, and you now know, had a twin boy and girl named Jacob and Amanda respectively. They both still do mercenary work, although Gaol has spent more time at home for obvious reasons.**

**Well, that's all for Chapter 11. Stay tuned for the next chapter and keep reviewing. Sentinel07, out!**


	13. Chapter 12: A Parent's Plea

**Hello people! Sentinel07 here with Chapter 12.**

**Thanks to all who review. I'm putting this up a bit earlier than I imagined.  
**

_Italics means a character's personal thoughts._

**_Bold and italics refers to quotes using telepathy._**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Kid Icarus or any other referenced video game or anime.**

**Now, let's begin!**

**(BEGIN)**

**Chapter 12: A Family's Plea**

Not too long after the day when Pit got to visit Magnus, he was rushed into Palutena's central hall.

"What's wrong Lady Palutena?" he asked.

"I believe we have found Iris." spoke Palutena. The very mention of the name grabbed Pit's attention, and he nodded slowly at the news.

"Where is she?" he asked.

"Supposedly, she's at a place called the Earth Grove. It's a deep cave system quite a ways away, even further away than the Valley of Hope." said Palutena. Pit sighed at that.

"Well, how will I get there? The Power of Flight won't make it, and walking would take forever." said Pit. Palutena just smiled at him.

"That's why you'll be trying our newest creation from Skyworld Technologies Inc." she said.

"We have a technology department? I never knew that!" smiled Pit.

"We don't. You know how I like to make stuff up." smiled Palutena, to which Pit just gave her a stare. "Well anyway, I'll fly you as close as possible, then I'll send you the new gear. You'll be able to pick it up right there."

"Well, alright then." said Pit. Without another word, he was off to Palutena's gate door which opened and allowed him entry. He jumped out and starting flying with the Power of Flight.

After a bit of flying, Pit decided to ask something.

By the way Lady Palutena, Iris said she was descended from Duma, the Fire Lord?" Pit asked.

"_**Yes, she is. Duma was a nymph and the twin sister of Mila, who was called the Earth Mother. Interestingly enough, Viridi herself is actually Mila's daughter." **_explained Palutena. Pit nearly lost his flight path after hearing that.

"What?! You mean Viridi has a mother?! And she was a nymph?!" asked Pit.

"_**Yes, and honestly, even I don't know how a goddess like Viridi came from Mila. It just happened. Unfortunately, Viridi's birth ended in Mila's death."**_ said Palutena.

"How sad." said Pit.

"_**Actually, even that is confusing. No one knows how Mila died from childbirth. I mean, it happens to humans occasionally, but it usually never happens to a god or nymph. But no one has been able to determine what really killed her."**_ explained Palutena.

"Wow, this thing is just getting crazier." muttered Pit as he continued on his way.

_5 minutes later_

"Lady Palutena, I think we're nearing the 5 minute mark." said Pit as he was flying over a mountainous area.

"_**And just as I thought, you're still not there. Time for a test run." **_smiled Palutena. Soon enough, Pit felt the Power of Flight leave his wings. However, just before he would have plummeted, something materialized underneath him, catching him.

The craft was obviously something capable of flight. It was a mixture of white and pink colors, with numerous bright-colored tails sticking out the back.

**(AN: Case and point, it looks like the Dragoon from Kirby Air Ride.)**

"Wow! This is cool!" cried Pit, standing on top of the machine like it was a skateboard.

"_**It's called the Dragoon. It's a powerful flight machine. This way, you can travel through the air without the Power of Flight."**_ said Palutena.

"Then why don't we just use it instead?" asked Pit.

"_**Well, it's not that strong, and it's a bit ineffective in terms of fighting in aerial battles. It's not as efficient as you flying there yourself."**_ said Palutena.

"Pity. Oh well, at least this will get the job done. Go Dragoon!" cheered Pit as he raced towards the Earth Grove.

**(LINE BREAK)**

A few minutes later, Pit arrived at the entrance to the Earth Grove, getting off of the Dragoon.

"_**The cave is pretty deep. I'm sending you an Exotank so you can travel through faster."**_ said Palutena.

"Good idea." said Pit. As soon as he said it, he saw the familiar beetle-like bike appear alongside him.

"It's been a while since I've used this thing. I hope I still remember." muttered Pit. He turned the ignition on, which immediately got the Exotank running. However, not fully remembering how to use it, he twisted the handle by mistake, sending him flying into the cave.

"Woah! Slow down!" yelled Pit as he raced into the cave, hardly in control of the Exotank. Soon enough, Pit could see Underworld troops hanging around. However, they barely even got a chance to strike before Pit was already long past them. He actually ended up running right into a few of them.

"Sorry! I'm a little rusty!" he yelled back. Pit's yelling continued deep into the cave. It didn't help that, as Palutena said, the grove was deep and winding, and that didn't help his control issues.

"Help meeeeeeeeeeee!"

_**"Mental note: Don't put too much gas in the Exotank."**_ remarked Palutena.

**(LINE BREAK)**

Right outside the Grove, Prometheus watched with an amused grin.

"What an interesting fellow. Weak, but interesting. And he's really going to face her head-on? Perhaps I should sneak in and watch." snickered Prometheus. However, right as he got up from his resting spot, a shadowy figure emerged behind him. Prometheus turned and groaned.

"You guys again? This is getting a bit annoying." he growled.

"Prometheus the Dread Reaper," started the figure, too clouded in darkness to make out. "You overstep your bounds."

"Nice to see you too." grinned Prometheus. "It's bad enough having Lady Iris on my case. Although, if I've caught your lord's attention, I guess I might not be doing a bad job."

"You have no allegiance to anyone. No one can trust you to stay away from matters that don't concern you." spoke the figure.

"If I had a dime for every time I got this speech. You sound like my sister." grinned Prometheus. The figure instantly rushed up to Prometheus, holding a blade to his throat.

"Do not test us. Lord Kronos is unforgiving to those who get in his way. You are not to disturb the events that are to come." growled the voice. With that said, the figure faded away without a trace, although Prometheus was hardly fazed.

"My my, such eagerness. I guess I hit someone's nerve. Then again, that's pretty much what I do everyday." he grinned. "Pyrrha always warned me about making enemies wherever I went. Oh well, now where was I."

With that said, Prometheus turned his attention back to the grove, making his way inside. If Pit was to fight Iris inside, he didn't want to miss it.

**(LINE BREAK)**

Meanwhile…

"Mistress Viridi, the Awakening Wood's powers are restored." said Arlon.

"Good. That means only two left. And then we gotta get the heart." replied Viridi.

"Of course." replied Arlon. Both of them sounded very solemn as they talked, as if they were both doing something they wished they didn't have to do.

**(LINE BREAK)**

Iris was walking around the inner grove, apparently looking for something.

"I heard that she keeps it here somewhere. Now where is it?" Iris wondered as she tossed and turned every rock she came across. However, she didn't get much further until she heard yelling. Lots of yelling actually, and sounding like it was getting closer.

"What is that?" wondered Iris as she turned around.

Then, coming in through one of the openings, an Exotank roared out, its pilot flying off it and landing on his back on the ground, the Exotank itself landing a few yards away.

"Owwww!" groaned Pit, laying there nearly lifeless on the ground. The scene was apparently too much for Iris, who burst out in laughter at the scene before her.

"Wow, you are clueless aren't you?" giggled Iris before slowly controlling herself. Pit's face blushed red as he limped himself off the ground.

"Hey, it's been a while since I've used that thing." defended Pit before getting out his bow. "This on the other hand, I'm plenty good with."

Iris' face lost most amusement, although she still maintained a slight smile. "When you say something like that after failing like you just did, it makes you just sound absurd. Anyway, what do you want? I'm busy."

"No matter what, I can't allow you to continue doing whatever you want. Whatever your grudge is against Viridi, I have to put a stop to you." said Pit. Iris' glare bored into him.

"I see. I didn't expect that I'd have a chance to get rid of you today, but I guess it's my lucky day." smirked Iris, Gae Bolg materializing in her right hand.

"To be fully honest, I'm a bit surprised you would directly attack me without your Three Sacred Treasures. You are aware of how strong I am with Gae Bolg aren't you?" asked Iris.

"I won't know unless I try." said Pit, bow still at the ready.

"Humph, you've got some nerve." said Iris. "Although, I'm not really at full strength either, so I guess it fits."

Pit went wide-eyed at that last statement.

"Wait, you're not at full power?" asked Pit.

"Not entirely. I haven't fully unlocked Gae Bolg's powers, and even if I could, I can't really use it here." explained Iris as Gae Bolg went aflame. Pit prepared himself.

"Hah!" charged Pit as he attacked Iris with his bow blades. Iris easily blocked it.

"Too easy." Iris pushed him back, twirling Gae Bolg around and bringing the front blade down on Pit. He was barely able to side-step it.

"You're looking a little slow. Not enough room for you?" smiled Iris. The inner grove wasn't exactly spacious, so Pit really had to adjust. The last thing he needed was to bring the whole place down on top of them.

Pit charged an arrow, aiming it for Iris. He unleashed it, but Iris bent down and dodged it, rolling and quickly getting back up. Iris then unleashes a frontal assault, attacking Pit with both blades of her spear. It took everything Pit could to block with his bow blades.

"You're persistent, but I'm on a tight schedule, so I'm finishing it here." said Iris, her body beginning to glow with her fiery energy. Pit noticed that she was totally serious now, and he began charging up himself.

"Here I come!" roared Iris as she jumped at him, Gae Bolg lunging for Pit. Pit brought his sacred bow up and started jumping himself. As if in slow motion, the two fighters came towards each other. Soon enough, the two collided.

However, to Pit's surprise, the impact between the two powers caused some kind of light to engulf him. He barely had time to react before feeling like he was being swallowed into something.

**(LINE BREAK)**

_In a new place_

"Where am I?" wondered Pit. All he could see was white, like he was in limbo or something. This was all so new to him, so he couldn't really figure it out.

"Hello! Anyone here?!" Pit called out.

As soon as he said that, the white background quickly zoomed away, and Pit soon found himself in a human city.

"Woah! When did I get here?" asked Pit. However, the people around him seemed to pay him no mind. Pit gasped as one little kid actually phased right through him like he wasn't even there.

"Am I a ghost or something?" asked Pit. However, he didn't have time to think as he saw something huge and large coming down from the sky. He instantly knew what it was.

"A Reset Bomb?! Where did that come from?!" cried Pit. However, before he knew it, he saw a little girl looking out a window to his right. Something seemed familiar about the girl, but Pit couldn't figure out why. Before anything else happened, he saw the girl call out for her mother and brother, but the bomb suddenly impacted the ground, knocking Pit out. However, he felt no pain.

"What is going on here? What am I seeing?" asked Pit, just wishing someone could answer him.

"You are in her heart."

"What?! Who's there?!" called Pit after seemingly hearing a voice. As he did, he saw three ghostly figures beginning to form in front of him. One was an older man, another was a woman, and the other was a young boy.

"Who are you? And where did you say I was?" Pit asked, hoping for an answer.

"You are in her heart." repeated by the man.

"I heard that the first time. What do you mean by that?" asked Pit.

"Iris' heart." replied the woman, making Pit's jaw drop.

"What?! How did that happen?!" asked Pit, becoming a bit frantic.

"Probably when you and her collided like that. You should calm down though. You're kind of loud." chuckled the man. Pit calmed down a bit, but he was still very confused.

"Okay, so you're saying I'm in Iris' heart? So who are you?" asked Pit.

"Her family." replied the woman.

Pit's jaw dropped again. If what she said was true, then he was speaking with the souls that composed Iris' body.

"Okay, so I'm inside Iris. Nothing creepy about that." Pit said sarcastically. "So would you mind showing me the exit?" he asked.

"We'd be happy to, but could we ask a favor of you?" asked the woman.

"Well, okay. I guess I can." shrugged Pit. The family in front of him shifted a bit.

"We'd like you to hear our story, and then we'd like to ask you do something for us. I wish we could do it ourselves, but you see…." the Dad trailed off. Pit nodded in understanding.

"I understand. Please tell me what I need to do." said Pit.

"Thank you Pit." smiled the woman.

After she said that, a montage of images pasted by Pit. They were all images of Iris from her previous life. In all of them, she was just a normal little girl, doing things little girls love to do and everything. Following those came the Reset Bomb attack, followed by what Pit imagined was her waking up in the Underworld.

From Pit's point of view, Iris looked as dazed and confused as a newborn when she woke up in the Underworld. Then, Pit watched as her confusion slowly turned to anger, coming to grips with what happened to her. Pit could barely watch as the images around him went on, from Iris obtaining Gae Bolg and becoming the Underworld's new leader. All the while, he could see that same sadness in her eyes, as if this person in front of him betrayed her true nature.

"I know it's hard, but we must ask a plea of you." said the mother.

"And that would be?" asked Pit.

"Please save Iris. Please save our daughter."

**(END)**

**And thus Pit is entrusted with the wishes of Iris' past family. But can he do it? Does he have the strength to save Iris from herself? Why is Prometheus getting death threats? And what is Viridi doing in these random areas? Stay tuned.**

**Once again, not really any new characters or anything to bio, so I guess that's it unless I think of something. In such a case, it will be edited in.**

**With that said, thanks for reading yet another chapter. Keep on reviewing and letting me know what you think. Sentinel07, signing out!**


	14. Chapter 13: Calm before the Storm

**Hello people! Sentinel07 here with Chapter 13.**

**As always, thanks to all who review constantly. :)**

_Italics means a character's personal thoughts._

**_Bold and italics refers to quotes using telepathy._**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Kid Icarus or any other referenced video game or anime.**

**Now, let's begin!**

**(BEGIN)**

**Chapter 13: Calm before the Storm**

"Save Iris?" asked Pit.

"Yes. Someone has to get through to her. Someone has to free her from this path of revenge." said the father.

"Part of the reason Iris curses herself is because you're in here." said Pit.

"We know. Iris feels guilty, and she thinks she's holding us hostage. She believes that we'll never have peace, but she's wrong." said the mother.

"Huh?" asked Pit.

"It may seem odd to say this, but this way, our family stays together. In a weird way of saying." said the father, laughing a bit, which got Pit laughing as well.

"I believe Iris is destined to do great things, and we are more than happy to come along for the ride with her." said the mother with a smile.

"But it is true that in a sense, you're trapped here. It's like you're in a prison." said Pit, using Iris' term for it. This time, the little brother spoke up.

"Prison?" he asked. "Does this look like a prison to you?"

As he said that, it was like the walls came crashing down, revealing what seemed to be a paradise. Pit jaw-dropped at the beauty that he saw before him. It was a beautiful plain, with a single tree at its center. Not only that, but the family wasn't the only people there. There were many people there, ranging from adults to children. Many of them came up and joined the family in front of Pit.

"What the? Where did this come from?" asked Pit.

"This place shows you how innocent Iris truly is; what she is truly like. An evil person could never have such a place inside their heart." explained the mother.

"But all these people…" started Pit.

"We're not the only ones who came together to form Iris' body. These are all people who died on that eventful day." explained the father.

"Wow." gasped Pit. As he looked around, he could see sad looks on many of the villagers' faces. "What's wrong?"

One villager spoke up. "We are mostly to blame for Iris' rage. At the time, we were just angry, angry at the one who killed us. Our rage manifested itself inside Iris. Our rage became her own."

Pit couldn't believe what he was hearing. This was totally beyond anything he was told before.

"But you aren't now?" asked Pit.

"Over time, we have come to accept our place here. It may not be ideal, but everyone is with their families, so I guess it works. I think we've come to accept what Hades did that led to what Viridi did." laughed one male villager.

"But our rage still fuels Iris. It's what keeps her going. But it betrays who she really is." said another villager.

Pit then recalled all the times he saw Iris angry. Her eyes always had that same sadness, and now we knew why. Her own hate was ruling over her. Someone had to free her from her hatred, and bring back the Iris they all knew and loved.

"This is all so incredibly, but I understand completely." said Pit resolutely. "I swear that I will bring Iris back. In the name of Lady Palutena, I swear this."

"Mom, why is he acting like a goof?" asked the little brother, causing Pit to fall down anime-style.

"Ha ha ha, well anyway. We owe you a great thanks Pit. I look forward to when you bring Iris back." smiled the father.

"No problem!" said Pit, beginning to turn his back. However, the mother stopped him.

"Wait! Hold on a second!" she called.

"Yes?" inquired Pit. The mother reached around her neck, pulling out a small necklace. It was rather simple, as one would expect, but the centerpiece had a unique design. It was a circular piece, with 3 golden triangles in it.

**(AN: Yeah, it looks like the Triforce. I imagine I don't need to explain further. If you don't know what that is, that is your own fault.)**

"That's a nice necklace." said Pit.

"It belongs to Iris. It broke once, so she gave it to me to fix. I was unable to give it back before the attack." explained the mother.

"I see. So what do you want me to do with it?" asked Pit.

"I'd like you to take it. Deliver it to Iris in our place. Perhaps this will also show as proof that you actually talked with us. I imagine she won't listen to you otherwise." said the mother.

Pit nodded in understanding as the mother placed it in his hands. He grasped it firmly and shook his head again.

"You got a deal. I'll deliver this no problem!" said Pit as he began to turn around, only to stop again. "So, how do I get out of here?" he asked.

"Like this." said the father. Soon enough, Pit found the place going out of focus, and he felt the feeling he had before, except in reverse.

_"Well, I guess it's not the first time I've been in and out of someone."_ thought Pit.

**(LINE BREAK)**

After the light engulfed him again, Pit felt himself being thrown out of Iris, landing back in the inner grove of the cave. Pit struggled to get himself up, seeing Iris down on one knee as well, some blood leaking from her shoulder.

"Ugh, you hit my shoulder." groaned Iris as she staggered to her feet. "I've had enough here. I'm going home for now, but the next time I see you will be the last. You've wasted enough of my time."

After she said that, Iris immediately teleported out, leaving Pit alone in the grove.

"Well, thank goodness that she decided to leave." said Pit. He knew that he needed to prepare for the storm that was coming. He asked Palutena to call him back, and she did so with a column of light.

However, after Pit left, a figure walked into the inner grove, activating a switch on the side that was hidden normally. A small opening in the wall opened, revealing a small object that seemed to be made of stone.

"The Heart of Mother Earth." spoke the figure before taking the heart.

**(LINE BREAK)**

After Pit returned to Skyworld, he explained everything to Palutena, who was stunned silent when he was done.

"That's unbelievable." sighed Palutena. Pit however continued to stand.

"Lady Palutena, when the time comes, I'm going to confront Iris in the Underworld. There, I will do what is necessary to bring her back." said Pit.

"You truly believe you can?" asked Palutena with a hint of a smile. Pit smiled back and saluted.

"Absolutely! I never go back on a promise. I know now who Iris really is, and I plan to save her. She doesn't deserve to die like Medusa or Hades." said Pit.

"I agree completely." said Palutena. Just then, her eyes widened. "Oh, I just remembered something. I got a message from Viridi. She wants to meet you alone somewhere."

"Where? And why for that matter?" asked Pit.

"I don't know. She didn't say. But I know where she is. You can take the Dragoon there, since you've already used the Power of Flight today." said Palutena.

"Very well. I'll go see what it's about." said Pit.

Soon after that, Pit was off on the Dragoon again, heading towards where Palutena directed him.

**(LINE BREAK)**

"Hmph, he held up a bit better there." smirked Prometheus as he exited the Grove. He was there, watching the battle between Pit and Iris.

"Still not quite strong enough for me. Guess I'll just have to wait." he added as he flew away from the Grove. The last thing he needed was another lecture from the "guests" he had today.

**(LINE BREAK)**

"Looks like Pit knows the truth now." said Luna as she watched Pit soar by from her resting spot. Pyrrha was right there looking with her.

"That's good. Perhaps now he can save her." said Pyrrha. "Although, I'm more worried about what will come afterwards." she added.

"We'll just have to wait and see what happens. I'm sure we can keep your brother from wrecking anything else." said Luna with a teasing smile.

"So do I Luna." replied Pyrrha.

"Soon enough, we should be able to confirm our suspicions about her." Pyrrha added.

**(LINE BREAK)**

Pit arrived at the place where Palutena instructed him, which was apparently a hill surrounded by a field of flowers. The sunset gave the place the impression of being on fire.

"So you came." Pit heard Viridi from his left, looking as normal as ever.

"Yeah, right when I heard about it. Is there something you needed to talk about?" asked Pit.

"Kind of, but I mostly just wanted to show you this place." said Viridi. Pit looked around, taking in the beauty of the place.

"It's very nice and peaceful. You truly know your good spots, although I guess you would, being the goddess of nature." said Pit. Viridi lightly blushed at his comment.

"Well, I just figured I'd show you this place before everything gets settled. You know, in case you die." smirked Viridi.

"Hah, I'm not dying yet. I've got way too many things to do before that." smiled Pit. "So, are you going to be coming along? When the time comes, I'll be going to the Underworld to end this once and for all."

Viridi hesitated a bit at his question but answered anyway. "No, I won't be joining you. I've got too many things to do." she said.

"That's too bad, but oh well." shrugged Pit. Viridi took one last look around.

"Well, it was nice seeing this with you here. I figured you would like something nice to remember me by." said Viridi.

"What do you mean? You're not normally like this Viridi." said Pit.

"It's just that, in case anything happens, I hope you don't hold too much against me." said Viridi, turning her head and walking away. Pit didn't understand at all what she was talking about.

"Does she have some dark secret or something?" wondered Pit as he took off back to Skyworld.

**(LINE BREAK)**

Soon after her talk with Pit, Viridi returned to her sanctuary. She was alone at the moment, but soon Phosphora appeared.

"Talking with Pit?" she asked.

"Yes. We'll be making a move soon. Once Iris is taken care of, there won't be any more distractions." said Viridi.

"But are you sure about this? Surely we can..." started Phosphora, but Viridi shook her head.

"No, we can't. You know the consequences. I don't want to force anyone to make that choice." said Viridi.

"You truly are kinder than most people give you credit for." said Phosphora.

"I doubt they'll be thinking about that soon."

**(LINE BREAK)**

As night fell, Pit took one more look at the sky.

"The day will come soon, and I must be ready." he vowed.

**(LINE BREAK)**

Back in the underworld, Iris was making the same preparations.

"One way or another, this will end soon." she said to herself.

**(END)**

**What is going with Viridi? She seems conflicted, but decides to move forward anyway. Could it be some bad foreshadowing? Who knows. Stay tuned for more as they come.  
**

**In case none of you noticed, my idea for the "plains paradise" inside Iris came from The Moon from The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask. I don't know how, but I think I made it work. **

**And that's all for now. We've got about 4 chapters or so left in Part 1. I hope you're all looking forward to it. Sentinel07,out!**


	15. Chapter 14: Road to the Underworld

**Hello people! Sentinel07 here with Chapter 14.**

**Thanks to all reviewers! I hope I don't disappoint. :)**

_Italics means a character's personal thoughts._

**_Bold and italics refers to quotes using telepathy._**

**Also, big news everybody! After careful consideration, Part 1 of this story has been extended by a few chapters. I've decided that certain things could use a bit more fleshing out, so I've decided to give them that time.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Kid Icarus or any other referenced video game or anime.**

**Now, let's begin!**

**(BEGIN)**

**Chapter 14: Road to the Underworld**

Pit took a deep breath. Today was the day.

Today was the day he would take the fight to Iris in the Underworld. The day where he would bring her back to being the daughter her parents loved and cherished.

In front of him was the Three Sacred Treasures. With the power boost from Dyntos in them, Pit was confident that they would be enough to fight Iris on an even level. Of course, Pit did have some doubts. Iris' Gae Bolg was incredibly strong, and Iris would be on her home turf. As always, he was the away team in this game.

"Getting ready Pit-stain?" smirked Dark Pit as he entered the room. However, for once, Pit was in no mood for that.

"I don't need your taunts Pittoo. Today, things get serious." said Pit.

"Oh, I know, but I felt like saying it." said Dark Pit while closing his eyes. "However, for once, I agree with you. Things will get crazy in a bad way if we let this Iris chick have her way. That's why I'm going with you."

"What?" Pit was honestly surprised to hear that. Sure, Dark Pit could never resist a good fight, but for him to willing ask to come along?

"I'm not going to let you get killed down there. If you die, then I die, and I don't feel like dying." said Dark Pit. Pit smiled at him. He could tell when Dark Pit was just trying to be the tough guy in the room.

"You keep telling yourself that." said Pit before turning his attention to the box containing the treasures.

He took a deep breath and opened the box, revealing the three treasures: Wings of Pegasus, Arrow of Light, and the Mirror Shield. Pit closed his eyes and concentrated, causing the three treasures to glow. Before long, the three treasures latched onto Pit, creating golden armor in addition to the treasures, his Sacred Bow of Palutena sporting a new look too.

"Time to get going." said Pit.

**(LINE BREAK)**

"I'll be using the Power of Flight on Pit while Pittoo rides on a Dragoon there." explained Palutena. "Although, like I said before, it's not really a combat ride. You could be vulnerable."

"No problem for me." Dark Pit was showing his usual confidence. Palutena smiled at his reaction. It was time for everyone to get going. A big day was awaiting them all. As usual, Pit ran through the door, feeling the Power of Flight through his wings, while he heard Dark Pit gliding alongside him.

"I'm not missing out of the action this time. I'm sick of recon missions." said Dark Pit.

"Well, it'll be good to have you around." Pit smiled as the two headed towards the familiar path to the Underworld. Thankfully, even after all this time, Pit kept the Underworld Key he won from Thanatos back in the Seafloor Palace.

Before long, they were heading down a deep canyon, the Underworld Key beginning to vibrate.

"Where are the Underworld troops?" asked Pit.

"Maybe Iris wants to face you head on. You have eliminated lots of her soldiers by now. And from what I can tell, she's not using human souls to create more like Hades." Dark Pit hypothesized.

"At least she has more respect for life than he did." Pit sighed as he remembered the former Underworld leader; brutal and callous in every sense of the word. Anyway, he didn't have time to worry about that. He needed to focus on Iris.

Eventually, Pit and Dark Pit entered a dark spiral; the Underworld Key glowing brightly. Pit soon found them both engulfed by the same light he went through last time, soon finding them in the familiar land of the Underworld; as dark and dreary as it always was.

"All right, the Underworld Sanctuary is in the same place as before. Let's go." said Dark Pit.

"Right." Pit agreed.

However, as they began to get closer, Pit finally saw Underworld troops approaching. However, they weren't many, hardly enough to stop him; especially when wielding the Three Sacred Treasures. Despite this, as soon as Pit and Dark Pit readied their bows, they were interrupted.

"Flare Storm!"

"Moonlight Rondo!"

Two blasts of fire and ice engulfed the monsters, destroying them almost instantly. Pit and Dark Pit nearly jaw-dropped at seeing it all happen so fast.

"Hey, who did that?! That was mine!" Dark Pit roared, trying to find who did it. He and Pit didn't have to look far. Right to their left were Pyrrha and Luna, waving at the boys casually.

"Who the hell are you? And what's your beef, taking out our targets like that?" Dark Pit asked in anger.

"Beef? We have no beef. We are beefless." giggled Luna.

**(AN: Yes, I love Fawful. He's so funny.)**

"Enough about that, but what are you doing here? Aren't you from the Underworld just like your brother?" asked Pit.

"Brother?" Dark Pit asked. Pit went on to explain that he met Pyrrha and Luna in the Reset Bomb Forest before he could kill Twinbellows. Dark Pit ranted for a second, asking Pit why he didn't tell him that before, which ended up Pit sheepishly grinning, saying that it slipped his mind.

"Anyway, enough chit' chat. You're here to fight Lady Iris correct? We're going to help you." said Pyrrha.

"Why?" Pit asked.

"First of all, the fact that I have origins in the Underworld doesn't mean much considering that I'm pretty much a free agent. I'm interested in keeping order in check, since I know Prometheus won't have any part in peace time." said Pyrrha.

"I'm just along for the ride. Should be fun." smiled Luna as she twirled her parasol. Pit sighed. They had no time for this. He was on a tight schedule by using the Power of Flight.

"Look, we'll talk later. We got to get to the Underworld Castle now." Pit said as he flew off. He didn't want to delay what was to come any longer. Dark Pit glared at the two of them, as if to say that they were dead meat if they did anything suspicious.

"Boy, he's a feisty one." smiled Luna as Dark Pit flew off.

"Yeah, but it's kind of attractive. But anyway, we need to go. Pit needs to defeat Iris. Perhaps then we can focus on our real goal." said Pyrrha.

Soon, the two were flying off, following the boys. "You know, we could just tell them." said Luna.

"They wouldn't believe us. They trust her. Or, at least Pit does. Let's keep it under wraps for now." said Pyrrha.

"I guess so. Do you feel Prometheus anywhere?" asked Luna.

"Faintly. I imagine he's trying to stay far enough where nobody will sense him, but close enough to where he can observe what will happen." replied Pyrrha.

**(LINE BREAK)**

"Out of my way!" Dark Pit roared as he shot a monster down at point blank. By now, the group was nearing the Underworld Castle.

"You know, this feels kind of uneventful compared to when I faced Medusa or Hades." Pit commented.

"Well, you're not fighting an evil being of pure darkness here, right?" said Pyrrha. Pit nodded. Perhaps that was why there wasn't much resistance. Maybe Iris actually desired a fight.

Well, it didn't matter to Pit. Invitation or not, he was going to win.

"_**All right Pit, I'm touching you down."**_ said Palutena. At her word, Pit made a landing at the entrance doors, with Dark Pit and the girls touching down as well.

"Shall we knock?" asked Pit.

"Here's a way." said Pyrrha as she walked to the door. Taking a deep breath, she gathered energy in her fist and gave the doors a single great punch, knocking them wide open. "How about we let ourselves in?" she smiled casually.

"A bit late for that." Dark Pit deadpanned.

Regardless, the group let themselves in, the halls eerily silent. It was hardly what Pit expected.

"_**I wonder if Iris has decided to put any distractions aside. She wants this to end here and now." said**_ Palutena.

"Perhaps." Pit agreed.

"Not quite." The group groaned as they heard a clown-like voice from around them. Looking ahead to a wider area, they saw Thanatos and Pandora waiting for them.

"Huh, looks like you were expecting visitors." Dark Pit grinned.

"Well of course. Lady Iris wishes to finish her right with Pit. It's been interrupted twice now after all." Pandora smirked at the group.

"So you're letting me go?" Pit asked.

"You can go, but your friends…..Ho ho ho ho!" Thanatos began to laugh, as if he was thinking of something devious.

"Enough of this! Pit, go on and take care of Iris. We'll take care of these two jokers." Dark Pit spoke, to which Pit nodded.

"You got it, Pittoo!"

"Stop calling me that!"

Pit immediately ran forward, easily passing through Thanatos and Pandora. He looked back briefly, hoping for Dark Pit and the girls' safety.

"Stay safe you guys!" Pit called as he soon got out of distance. Dark Pit then turned his attention to Pyrrha and Luna.

"You guys take the clown over there. Pandora is mine." Dark Pit with a final tone.

"Humph, tough guy thinks he's in charge." Pyrrha smirked. "But that works fine with me."

"Are you sure about this?" asked Luna. "We came here to make sure Pit succeeded. What if he loses?"

"He won't. He's Palutena's champion after all." said Pyrrha. "If he was to lose, then it'll simply be our turn."

The two girls then focused on Thanatos, the clown-like djinn already looking riled up.

"This is going to be fun. Hoo hoo hoo hoo!" he laughed.

"Gods, stop it with the laugh. It's really annoying." groaned Pyrrha as she got into her martial arts stance, with Luna standing at the ready as well.

"Nice to see that you're still alive Pandora." Dark Pit smirked.

"I don't like that look in your eye." Pandora scowled at him.

"Of course now. This is the look of someone who's going to defeat you. And once I do, I plan to take back those powers I lost before." Dark Pit said with glee, almost giddy at the thought of regaining his Power of Flight that he lost at the Rewind Spring.

"Humph, you truly are a parasite. I'm going to enjoy swatting you around." Pandora glared at him, sword at the ready.

**(LINE BREAK)**

Pit ran up the stairs, feeling like he was getting closer to his target.

"Phew, place didn't seem as big last time." He panted.

"_**Well, you had more Underworld monsters to fight, so it probably kept your mind off of it."**_ said Palutena.

"I guess so. So, you think the Three Sacred Treasures will hold up this time?" Pit asked. He often wondered about their durability now, ever since Hades effortlessly destroyed them the first time.

"_**Don't worry. They're a bit more durable and powerful this time. Dyntos gave them a good power-up. I think you should be able to handle Iris' Gae Bolg with them."**_ said Palutena.

"I hope so." Pit gulped.

Eventually, with no resistance around him Pit stopped at a huge set of doors. This route was a bit unfamiliar to him but he had a good feeling that he was nearing his battle with Iris. Pit took a deep breath. Today was where he put his doubts aside. He made a promise, and he never went back on promises.

The doors suddenly opened of their own accord, allowing Pit entry. Looking inside, Pit saw a wide open area in front of an inner area of the Sanctuary. It reminded him of where he fought Palutena back in the Chaos Kin saga.

**(AN: Simply put, the area somewhat resembles the boss area of Chapter 20)**

Pit walked in, hearing the doors close behind him, his sacred bow clenched in his hands. Near the far side of the area, Pit saw a lone figure, slowly walking out towards him. He already knew who it was, although her appearance slightly caught him off guard.

Iris' appearance was darker than before, with shades of black and grey now. The parts of her armor that looked to look organic now looked like real armor. Gae Bolg itself looked even more menacing now. Seeing him walk in, Iris smirked.

"So, you came after all. As you guessed, I figured you could come here."

"I've come here so I can put an end to this. We don't have to settle this through violence though." Pit offered.

Iris giggled lightly. "You really think so? I'd say violence is the ONLY way to solve this. I won't be able to impose my vengeance on Viridi while you're still hovering around. Our last fights got interrupted, but no more. This time, one of us dies." Iris said resolutely.

"_No one has to die. If only you could see that too."_ Pit thought.

"Iris. I can sense that even you feel conflicted in some way about this. We know you don't really want to do this." said Palutena.

Iris just began laughing at Palutena's words. "Conflicted? Me? Heh, I feel no confliction. I am an Underworld monster. I don't feel conflictions or sadness or any of the sorts."

"Do you believe that, Lady Palutena?" asked Pit.

"_**No, I don't. I can feel her soul's true personality. I can tell it's hesitant. There's a willingness to forgive and move on. That's the kind of girl she is. But I don't think words will work alone. Pit, if you're going to bring the real Iris back, you must do with your actions as well."**_ said Palutena.

"What are you two talking about over there?" asked Iris, obviously not hearing the conversation between Pit and Palutena.

"It's nothing." Pit sighed as he took a breath. "Sorry to keep you waiting, but I'm ready now. In the name of the Goddess Palutena, I will end this!"

Pit and Iris stared each other down, their weapons beginning to resonate with energy. The very air seemed to become electrified as the two warriors faced off.

Suddenly, they were off.

"Hah!" The two clashed in the middle of the field, emitting a shockwave throughout the area, but not really affecting either of them. Iris started with aiming direct blade strikes at Pit, only to have the angel block them with his bow blades.

"You're not going to win with defense!" Gae Bolg erupted in dark flames, causing Pit to fall back and charge arrows. Thanks to the Arrow of Light, Pit could fire multiple arrows at a quick pace. Pit rapidly fired arrows as Iris charged in, with only a few of them knicking her shoulder.

"Kresnik Spear!" The fire spear slammed into Pit's bow, making Pit grunt as he tried to hold his ground. He could feel the huge power boost Iris got from Gae Bolg's increased powers in the Underworld.

"Arrow of Light!" Pit charged an arrow, enough for it to home in on Iris after she backed off. She used Gae Bolg to block it, but the amount of power surprised her a bit and knocked her on her back, only for her to quickly flip and get back on her feet.

"Not bad!" Iris rushed in for more quick melee strikes. Pit realized that he was getting nowhere if he was always on defense. So far, Iris' quickness was keeping him from getting any momentum.

Pit then grabbed her lance with his free hand, twisting it and flipping her over as he delivered a quick kick to her sides, staggering her a bit. Now, it was Pit's turn to go on the melee offensive, delivering quick slashes with the ends of his bow.

"Now who's on defense?!" Pit gloated.

"You think you're so clever?! Think again!" Iris pushed him away and slammed her lance into Pit's leg, bringing him to the ground in pain. After that, she got some distance, power beginning to well up inside her. Melee attacks were about even between them. It was time for some magic.

"What is she doing?" Pit wondered as he began seeing red fire beginning to crackle like lightning as Iris continuously twirled her spear above her head, sort of like a baton.

"Fires of all creation, level the earth with your fury!" At once, glyphs appeared over Pit's head, too quick for him to make another move.

"Uh oh!" Pit tried to move, but it was too late.

"VALFLAME!"

A red-violet explosion soon rocked the area, nearly shaking the very foundation of the castle.

**(LINE BREAK)**

"Stand still dammit!" Pyrrha was flipping back as Thanatos flew around the area. Using his powers, he had changed into the "glow dragon" form he used years ago and was flying around, annoying Pyrrha since she specialized in close combat.

"Six Lights!" Luna lashed out with a magic attack from her parasol, but the slippery god of death dodged it effortlessly.

"Would you keep it quiet over there?!" Dark Pit was engaged with Pandora, maneuvering through the goddess of calamity's tricks and traps. He was quite honestly getting annoyed with it all. He hadn't been really damaged at all, and the tricks were predictable, but Pandora kept using them to get distance.

"What's wrong Mr. Emo? Tired already?" teased Pandora.

"Oh, you did not just call me emo! Who even uses that word anymore?!" Dark Pit roared back at her and attacked with the blades of his Silver Bow.

Suddenly, they all felt the shaking from Iris' devastating magic, making most of them lose their balance.

"What is going on up there?" wondered Dark Pit.

**(END)**

**Valflame, straight out of Fire Emblem. One of my personal favorites. :)  
**

**Anyway, PHEW! First 3000 word chapter. Didn't think I'd ever make one this long, but it was so fun to write, I just couldn't stop. Stay tuned for the next chapter.**

**Could next time be the fight's finale? Will Pit keep his promise? He's got his work cut out for him this time.**

**Well, I hope you all enjoy and keep reviewing. Thanks. Sentinel07, out!**


	16. Chapter 15: The Human Inside

**Hello people! Sentinel07 here with Chapter 15.**

**Thanks to all who reviewed as per usual. :)**

_Italics means a character's personal thoughts._

**_Bold and italics refers to quotes using telepathy._**

**Now, as a note, I will be going on vacation soon, but I still be updating. Although, my writing has been lax of late. I'm not as ahead on my chapters as I would like, so things might slow down a bit. However, I think this chapter should be a good tide over for some time. **

**Disclaimer: I don't own Kid Icarus or any other referenced video game or anime.**

**Now, let's begin!**

**(BEGIN)**

**Chapter 15: The Human Inside**

The blast from Iris' Valflame spell created a huge crater in the area. Iris would have liked to believe she had won, but she wasn't stupid.

"Wow, you are tenacious." Iris smirked as she looked to her right, seeing a pretty injured Pit, struggling to stay up.

"_**Are you alright?"**_ asked Palutena.

"Yeah…ugh, I'll be fine. I activated the Wings of Pegasus and glided just out of the center of the spell, so I took less damage." breathed Pit.

All the same though, his armor had taken some pretty good damage. The armor on his right side was almost completely blown off, but he still had his bow and shield at the ready.

As Pit looked out, he thought about his options. He had taken heavy damage, but all Iris had was a minor wound on her shoulder. He wasn't getting anywhere fast.

"I got to turn things around. I can't talk to her when she's the one winning. Think Pit, think!" groaned Pit to himself.

"What's wrong? Regretting coming here." Iris smirked.

"Hardly. Just thinking about how emo you look in that black outfit." Pit smirked. He could feel Palutena smacking her head back in Skyworld.

"_**Really Pit? Really?"**_ she asked. She wasn't the only one not amused. Pit could swear he saw a vein sticking out on Iris' face.

"Did you just call me emo? Who even uses that word anymore? Your insults are worse than your fighting skills." she countered.

"_**Ouch. She might have you there."**_ said Palutena.

"Well, it doesn't matter. I'm not leaving until I get you to listen." said Pit, keeping himself upright through pure adrenaline.

"Tsk, you keep talking about hoping to make me listen. There is nothing to listen to. I have only one purpose, and that is to kill Viridi. Why do you even defend her?" Iris asked.

"What?" Pit asked back.

"If I recall correctly, her Reset Bomb attack caused you no end of troubles as well. So why don't you hate her as much as me?" asked Iris. Honestly, Pit was starting to think that he might just have his chance. For a brief moment, she let down her guard.

"Because she's a friend." said Pit. "Sure, she has some…extreme methods, and she doesn't like humans. However, she has tried to make some amends for that, and we've worked together to make sure humans treat each other respectfully so in turn, nature can be respected." explained Pit.

"I'm sorry that you and your family ended up as victims, but trust me when I say that Viridi is not that kind of person anymore. We can't deny her past wrongdoings, but everyone has to move on eventually. I've had to move on from my troubles, and I think you should too."

"_**Nice speech."**_ smiled Palutena.

Pit couldn't read the expression on Iris' face. It was blank, as if she was processing the information. She then sighed and raised her spear again.

"Then you and I will never see eye to eye. I have no reason to move on. I'm a being cursed to be a prison for my family. Killing the one who made me like this is the only way I can ever move on!" Iris cried out as she was back in battle mode.

"This conversation is over!" Iris thrusted Gae Bolg towards Pit, tip still engulfed in flames. She once again used Kresnik Spear, knocking Pit even further backwards.

"_**Pit, get to the air. Perhaps you can fight better in the air!"**_ recommended Palutena.

"Understood!" Pit replied, activating the Wings of Pegasus a second time. He avoided another thrust from Iris and floated into the air.

"That's not going to save you." said Iris, who effortlessly flew into the air behind him, attacking again with Gae Bolg, to which Pit blocked with the Mirror Shield.

Pit used the shield to push her back and get distance, finally firing more arrows. He was even more determined now to get through to her. He got into her head about Viridi, and now he would just need to delve in further.

His arrows followed Iris as she chased him. However, just as Iris caught up to him, Pit suddenly turned back, slamming her with the shield and briefly knocking the air out of her. Gasping for breath, Iris made a circular slash with Gae Bolg, but Pit was already gone. Soon enough, she felt arrows pierce her back.

Ahhhhhhh!" Iris cried out in pain as the light arrows pierced her armor and skin. Recovering and getting angrier, Iris used Gae Bolg to summon towers of dark flames, now truly showing off her powers as a descendant of Duma.

"Woah!" cried Pit as he dodged the flame towers, descending towards Iris. She twirled her lance again, summoning spiraling flames at Pit.

"She's really going all out on the fire now." said Pit.

"_**I think she's losing her cool, literally."**_ said Palutena. _**"Iris hasn't been challenged that often since she became the Underworld leader. I think you getting the upper hand is getting her flustered."**_

"Then, that means I have a chance." said Pit. He dodged the spiral flames, watching Iris prepare for Kresnik Spear again. However, once Pit had a lead, there was no letting up for him.

"Stop moving!" growled Iris, her frustration showing in her lack of technique. Pit easily dodged the spear. Iris gasped as she was totally defenseless with Pit right in her face.

"You're losing your edge. Can't you tell that this fight is meaningless? Your parents wouldn't want this." Pit pleaded to her, which only seemed to make her angrier.

"Shut up! What would you know about my parents?!" Iris brought Gae Bolg to make another circular slash, but Pit blocked it with his shield.

"Because I met them." Pit told her, which seemed to hit her like a ton of blocks.

"What?! What are you lying about now?!" Iris nearly screamed in denial as she attacked again, her attacks getting even more wild. Her attacks were mostly missing Pit entirely.

"When we fought at the Earth Grove," started Pit as he blocked another strike. "I was able to go inside your heart, and there I found your family. They were peaceful, coming to terms with their fate. They don't want to see their daughter become a monster!" finished Pit.

"I AM A MONSTER!" Iris roared as she unleashed Kresnik Spear again. The sudden attack hit Pit in the shoulder, drawing some blood. However, the wound wasn't serious, and Pit was riding on pure adrenaline right now.

"No, you're not. You're a human who was dealt a bad hand, but not all is lost. Your parents don't feel imprisoned like you believe. They're happy that they'll always be with you now, wherever you go. Don't you see that? They got over their anger, the anger that manifested as your own."

"My anger is my own! I'm tired of your nonsense!" Iris ignited herself in flames, launching them towards Pit through Gae Bolg. He used the Mirror Shield to try and reduce the damage, but it still took its toll. Iris watched dumbfounded as Pit put the shield down and continued attacking.

"WHY. WON"T. YOU. DIE?!" Iris nearly screamed as her fire attacks kept coming. Pit could easily tell where her lack of real fighting experience was coming from. Gae Bolg and a desire for revenge kept little Iris going, but it was no substitute for real combat skills.

"I'm not dying until I get through to you! Not until you realize what a fool you've been all this time. I've seen the sadness in your eyes, even time you fight or order around your army. You're not that kind of person. Deep down, you want to forgive, but your anger won't let you." Pit continued on.

Pit could only wonder what Palutena was thinking. She hadn't commented at all in a while. Pit didn't mind though. This was something for him to get through on his own.

"VALFLAME!" The lightning attack quickly formed above Pit, although it wasn't as strong thanks to Iris's lack of preparation and her wild emotions. However, it's quickness remained, and the fire attack slammed Pit in the back, giving him a rather grievous wound. Despite that, he kept flying around and dodging more of Iris' random attacks.

Suddenly, as Iris was descending towards the ground, Pit flew right above her, shocking her with how fast he still was. For the first time, Pit could finally see worry in her face. He was breaking through. He just knew it. He just had to make one last breakthrough.

"It's over. Arrow of Light!" Pit charged an arrow and unleashed it straight at Iris' chest, hitting it dead center.

Iris gagged, feeling nearly choked by the loss of air. "W-Why me….." she choked out as she fell towards the ground, Gae Bolg falling freely after she lost her grip on it. Pit and Iris, both losing energy, slammed into the ground, rocking the whole area.

**(LINE BREAK)**

As all of this was happening, Dark Pit, Pyrrha, and Luna were still engaged with Thanatos and Pandora. All of the combatants were nearing exhaustion as they heard the latest rumble from afar.

"They're really going at it. I hope that Pit's okay." said Pyrrha.

"Ho ho ho, doubt it! Iris is probably cleaning his clock right now!" chuckled Thanatos.

"You think a little kid is beating down Pit? He's probably just finishing up." Dark Pit chuckled at Thanatos.

"Thanatos, we should go check on Lady Iris." said Pandora.

"Oh, well okay." agreed Thanatos. Dark Pit got mad at both of them.

"You're kidding me! You're running away, you cowards!" Dark Pit while charging them again.

"Sorry squirt, but Lady Iris comes first." Pandora smirked as she and Thanatos high-tailed it out of the room.

"GET BACK HERE!" called Dark Pit as he chased after them.

"Wow, he really wants his flying powers back." giggled Luna.

"I might not actually mind it, if it meant that Pandora was out of the picture. I never liked her." Pyrrha muttered as the two girls gave chase to Dark Pit and the bad guys.

**(LINE BREAK)**

Pit and Iris had both impacted the ground near each other. Pit was struggling to get to his feet, but Iris was having even more trouble. The light arrow gave her a terrible wound, although it wasn't one that would kill her by any means. The two were reaching their limit.

"No matter….what you say," Iris breathed as she struggled to get back to her feet. "I will never believe you…..There's no way….you would know my parents."

"Actually….I do know them….and I have proof." Pit responded, using his weakened right arm to reach into the collar of his tunic, confusing Iris. Slowly, he pulled the necklace from his neck, showing it weakly to Iris.

Iris gasped at seeing the old necklace, with its unique symbol.

"T-That's…"

"Your mom….gave me this…so I could give it to you," breathed Pit. "She fixed it for you…but couldn't give it back before the attack."

Iris limped over, trying to stay as upright as she could, putting her hand out. Pit put the necklace into her ungloved hand, the armor blown off from one of Pit's attacks.

"Mom…I remember when she first gave me this." said Iris. Once again, Pit could see tears beginning to form in her eyes, but none were shed.

"She said that it was unique, the only one of its kind." Pit gave a small smile. Iris clasped her hands around the necklace, trembling as they did.

"Then…what you said….everything you said." stuttered Iris, her whole body beginning to tremble.

"Finally, I got through to you." smiled Pit. "This was your parent's last wish. They want to see you happy Iris, to take advantage of the second life you've been given."

"But I only have this life because they were used to form my body. How can they rest in peace if they're in the body of a monster?"

"You're not a monster. You don't even look like one. Would a monster be so touched by a single necklace? Would a monster deliberately avoid fighting humans? You never once engaged a human city while you were after Viridi."

"Well of course. I was human once. I have no quarrel with humans."

"Exactly, and that's why you're not a monster. Believe it or not, your family isn't even suffering. I don't really fully understand myself, but your parents and all the others who are inside you are living in paradise. They are at peace now, because the heart they're in is full of kindness."

Iris sniffed, her tears threatening to fall. Pit knew that he was close, so he put his hands on Iris' shoulders. It was time to bring this conflict to a close.

"You don't have to forgive Viridi, but I do ask that you give her a chance. Everyone deserves a second chance, right? Even her, and even you."

"I….I've….I've been lying to myself…this whole time…Haven't I?"

"Maybe, but now you can start over. You're not alone, not now and not ever."

And then, for the first time since her death so long ago….

Iris cried.

**(LINE BREAK)**

Unknowingly to the two warriors, the rest of the crew saw that whole thing. Needless to say, they were all speechless.

"Didn't see that coming." commented Luna.

"Nope." agreed Pyrrha.

"Awwwww." cooed Pandora, despite the weirdness of it all.

"Um, shouldn't we do something?" asked Thanatos.

"Well, it sounds like there's no more conflict. No more reason for me to be here." Dark Pit groaned as he promptly left. The others slowly left at their own pace after that.

**(LINE BREAK)**

Pit held Iris as she let her tears fall at long last. He didn't care how long it lasted. He was just happy that he fulfilled his promise. He finally brought back the daughter that everyone loved so dearly.

"Lady Palutena, are you still there?" asked Pit.

"_**I've been here the whole time."**_ she replied.

"Really? Then why didn't you say anything?"

"_**You seemed to be on a roll, so I just took a backseat and let you do your thing. I'm surprised Pit. That was some of the most touching words I've ever heard. You've really grown up, haven't you."**_ said Palutena, also as if she was choking up.

"Hey, don't talk like that. Besides, you taught me most of that stuff." smiled Pit.

About a minute or two later, Iris sniffed and rubbed her eyes, seemingly out of tears.

"I think…I think I've run out of tears." she said, giving Pit a truly genuine smile. Pit actually blushed a bit as she did. For all her Underworld quirks, she was quite pretty. Well, for her age anyway.

"That's good. I imagine you kept those pent up for a long time." said Pit. After that, Iris sighed.

"So, what happens now?" she asked.

"Well, I suppose things will just play out somehow. However, how about we start by being friends?" asked Pit with his typical smile.

Iris then laughed, as if she just heard something absurd. "Friends? Really? I've been trying to kill you for the better part of the last month, and you ask to be friends right off the bat? You're really naïve." she laughed.

"Do you want to be friends or not?" groaned Pit a bit more seriously this time.

Iris giggled again. "Heh heh heh, you truly are a strange one, but yes, I'd be happy to…have a friend like you. It's been so long since I've had one."

"WHOO-HOO, I DID IT!" cheered Pit, loud enough so that everyone in the Sanctuary probably heard it.

"_**I'm glad to see that you two have really sorted this out."**_ said Palutena, smiling from Skyworld. _**"You know, you both are looking pretty beat up. How about you start this new friendship on the right note?"**_

"What does that mean?" asked Pit.

"_**Look to your left. I've created a little gift for you two."**_ smiled Palutena. Pit looked to his left, and his eyeballs nearly came out of their sockets.

"No way…..Is that…..It is…..A HOT SPRING!" yelled Pit, seeing the golden water in one of the larger craters formed by the fight.

"How did that get there?" asked Iris.

"Don't ask questions! Just jump in!" cheered Pit as he cannonballed into the spring, getting warm water all over Iris.

"Ugh, did you have to do that? Now I'm all wet." groaned Iris. Pit popped up from under the spring.

"Come in, the water's great." cheered Pit.

"I don't think so. Besides, I'm from the Underworld. I'd probably contaminate it." insisted Iris. Pit jumped out the spring, water still leaking off his tunic.

"Allow me to teach you then." said Pit, smiling as he grabbed Iris.

"Wait, what are you doing?!" Iris began. Pit gave her a dark smile. "No! N-O! Don't you dare!"

But it was all in vain as Pit firmly grabbed Iris and jumped, bringing both of them into the spring, with Iris screaming the whole way down.

Soon enough, Iris resurfaced, now fully wet.

"Ugh, what did you not understand when I said NO!" she yelled at Pit.

"Oh come on, it'll be fun. Besides, it has healing properties, which we both need. Just take it easy and relax for once in your life." Pit said casually.

"Oh…..well okay." Iris said softly.

"That's the spirit. I've got 3 simple steps for enjoying a hot spring." smiled Pit.

"What would those be?" replied Iris with a bit of worry.

"Step 1) Breath deep." Pit said.

"Okay." shrugged Iris as she took a deep breath.

"Step 2) Clear mind." he continued.

"I see." said Iris as she closed her eyes and tried to do just that.

"Step 3) Remove pants." Pit finished on a happy tone.

"WHAT?!"

_Meanwhile, in Skyworld_

In Skyworld, Palutena watched as Pit received repercussions for this last statement, which more or less ended in a splashing war.

"Mental note: Teach Pit about involving girls younger than him in a hot spring." she sighed, although she was still happy.

Beyond what anyone thought, the newest conflict with the Underworld had come to a close, and Palutena couldn't be happier for their new friend.

Unfortunately, within this newly found peace, darkness still lurked in the shadows.

**(END)**

**Oh my gosh, what a doozy of a chapter. Another one over 3,000 words. I can't believe it honestly. **

**You could say that this was my first attempt at drama. I hope it turned out in a way you all liked. I wonder what some would say about Pit actually sounding wise for once, but we can say that he has grown up a bit, while still maintaining his childish naiveté. **

**The battle was probably more conversation than battle, but that was the point. Pit was not going into the battle to kill. He was going there to bring Iris back, and that is exactly what he did.**

**But wow, so much cheesy dialogue. I'm probably hit-or-miss with cheesy dialogue, but I can't say I didn't try. **

**Well, overall, I hope you enjoyed this. Part 1 is still not done yet though. Stay tuned for more of Kid Icarus: The Great War!**

**Sentinel07, signing out!**


	17. Chapter 16: Pit and Iris

**Hello people! Sentinel07 here with Chapter 16.**

**Reviews seem a bit down from usual, but it sounds likes my usuals here are still enjoying the story. :)**

_Italics means a character's personal thoughts._

**_Bold and italics refers to quotes using telepathy._**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Kid Icarus or any other referenced video game or anime.**

**Now, let's begin!**

**(BEGIN)**

**Chapter 16: Pit and Iris**

Following the epic battle in the Underworld Sanctuary, everyone took time to rebuild from the chaos. Particularly, some of the sites that were destroyed by the Underworld needed to be repaired, along with parts of the Underworld Sanctuary itself. This took time, but thanks to Iris, peace seemed to finally be coming between the 3 realms.

Through it all however, Iris still hadn't really forgiven Viridi for anything she had done, but she had agreed to at least try to live on past her violent origins. Truth be told, Iris hadn't even gotten a chance to meet Viridi again face-to-face. Soon after the war ended, Viridi holed herself up in her sanctuary again, and this time, a barrier was placed on it to keep anyone out. Pit could only wonder why Viridi would go to such lengths, but he guessed that perhaps Viridi just wanted to keep things to herself for now. Maybe she was reflecting on how her Reset Bomb attack so long ago lead to the war they just went through.

But soon enough, the Underworld and Overworld were back to full vitality. However, Palutena was still concerned. Amidst the chaos, four specific places had been activated as she had put it:

The Valley of Repose, the Awakening Wood, the Perplexing Pool, and the Wistful Wild.

That being said, Palutena never told Pit about this, only divulging what she knew to Eres, who was working with her on it. They both had an idea of what the four areas could do, but nothing else had happened since the end of the war. Eres had grown increasingly concerned about Viridi's behavior, but she too couldn't do anything with everyone being blocked out of the Overworld Sanctuary.

But something was coming, like a time bomb about to go off.

Despite this, everything remained quiet for some time. And, 6 months after the end of the war, Iris took her first step into Skyworld.

**(LINE BREAK)**

"A toast! To our new friend Iris!" called Palutena as everyone involved raised a glass.

With everything settled for now, Palutena decided to hold a get together to celebrate the end of the war, now that things had somewhat returned to normal. This was Iris' first trip to Skyworld, and Pit wanted it to be an occasion to remember.

"Yeah!" cried Pit as he raised his glass. Iris held up hers too, but it was rather gingerly. She didn't know how to act here. She looked so out of place, like a peasant appearing at a royal ball.

"What's wrong Iris? Drink up." said Pit as he learned over towards her a bit.

"What is this anyway?" asked Iris, pointing to her cup. "I never saw any drink like this before."

"It's a Skyworld delicacy. I like to call it Sky brew. And don't worry its nonalcoholic." smiled Palutena.

"It better not be. That's against the law you know." smirked Dark Pit.

Iris still looked hesitant, but she brought the cup up to her lips and took a sip, her eyes widening as she did.

"This drink, I like it." she smiled.

"I know right…" started Pit.

"ANOTHER!" she shouted as she threw the cup to the ground, shattering it. Palutena stood back in surprise, while some of the other guests were more amused.

"Why did you do that?!" asked Pit.

"It was good. I want another." said Iris.

"Well next time, just ask." said Pit.

"I just did."

"Without the cup throwing part!"

"Well I meant no disrespect." Iris replied curtly.

Pit just sighed. This girl was handful, even when compared to Viridi. With that part settled, Dark Pit turned his attention to the other "guests".

"Why did you invite them?" asked Dark Pit, pointing at Pyrrha and Luna, who Palutena also invited to come along. Eres was there too to round out the party. Palutena wanted to invite Viridi and Phosphora too, but they couldn't be reached for obvious reasons.

"Hey, we helped you in the Underworld, right? Besides, a girl loves a party." smiled Pyrrha, who had probably drunken half of the brew brought to the party. Luna was starting to get worried.

"I don't believe this." groaned Dark Pit. After the fiasco, Pit turned to Iris again.

"By the way Iris, if you're here, who's in the Underworld right now?" asked Pit.

"Well, truth be told, I'm not actually very good at the whole being in charge of the Underworld thing. I got the job because I beat out everyone for it, but I don't know the first thing about properly handling dead souls, so I let Thanatos handle that." explained Iris, that last part making Pit gulp in fear.

"Wait! Thanatos is in charge while you're here? How do you know he won't screw up your world while you're gone?" asked Pit.

Almost immediately, Pit wished he hadn't asked. A very "evil" grin adorned Iris' face, yet it was cute at the same time.

"Oh, he'll do a good job. He's fully aware of what I'll do to him if he slacks off." she grinned, giggling darkly.

Pit just gulped again, feeling the need to use the bathroom.

**(LINE BREAK)**

After the party, most of them took their leave. Luna had to help Pyrrha, who drank so much that she was drunk. She actually mistook a plant for Prometheus who, interestingly enough, hadn't been seen since the end of the war. Eres returned to her home as well, leaving the angels and Palutena with Iris. Palutena offered to allow Iris to stay around for the night, since there was no rush. Iris was a bit shy when asked, but accepted the offer.

_Now, we fast-forward to the following morning_

Pit whistled to himself as he strolled down the hallway, towel in hand. Right after waking up, he got in a brief work out and decided that it was time for his morning wash. He was feeling awfully carefree as of late, as if nothing could go wrong.

However, as he approached the bathroom, he could hear water running inside. Not only that, Pit could see that its inhabitant forgot to close the door all the way. Perhaps it was because it was awfully early, and not many people were awake. That being said, Pit could hear the water turn off.

"Guess Pittoo forgot to close the door. Oh well, sounds like he's done now." said Pit as he casually walked in, expecting to see Dark Pit all done.

Boy was he wrong.

Unfortunately, Dark Pit was not the one showering. The being had dark hair, but not like Dark Pits, and this being had…curves.

And soon enough, Pit was staring directly in a pair of familiar green and red eyes.

"Uh oh."

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

"I'M SORRY!"

And that was how Pit ended up flying through a wall. Well, three walls actually.

As this happened, there was a brief flash in the distance.

**(LINE BREAK)**

"Well, I guess it's nice you know you really are a guy." smirked Dark Pit as he wrapped a bandage around Pit's forehead.

Immediately upon realizing that it was Iris in the bathroom, Pit was immediately given a painful slap to the cheek by Iris. However, this being from the Underworld ruler herself, the slap actually had so much force that Pit flew out of the room and slammed head-first into the walls, going through three of them before stopping.

"Hey, I said I was sorry. I thought it was you that was up." whined Pit.

"You thought wrong. I was still in bed." said Dark Pit. Pit just groaned as Dark Pit finished up.

"Oh man, she looked really mad. I hope she doesn't try to kill me again. It was an honest mistake." said Pit.

"I'm not the one you need to tell that too. Besides, I'm sure it'll tide over. Every guy sees a little skin every down and then." smirked Dark Pit.

"But not that much!" Pit nearly yelled.

"So the champion of Palutena's Army can wipe out a thousand Underworld troops, but becomes a wuss just at the sight of seeing a girl in her birthday suit. I'd say you should feel happy. Now you know what she looks like inside and out."

"YOU"RE NOT HELPING!" Pit yelled.

**(LNE BREAK) **

Iris was still fuming as she sat outside the temple. Although, she couldn't tell if it was from anger or embarrassment. This hadn't happened to her since that one time her big brother barged in on her while she was washing.

However, she soon heard Pit's footsteps. She slowly turned her head, and she gasped a bit at seeing Pit's battered and bruised face.

"Are you alright?!" she said as she ran up to him, inspecting the injuries. She lashed out after feeling so embarrassed, but she didn't want to smash his face in. Pit just gave her a toothy grin.

"Oh it'll take more than this to keep me down." he laughed a bit before becoming more somber. "Um, sorry about that. I thought someone else was in there." Pit said, rubbing the back of his head.

Iris turned her head away and sighed. "It's fine. I already forgave you. I guess things happen every now and then."

"Phew, well that's a relief. Phosphora told me once that the last person who accidently saw Viridi in the shower got put in the hospital." he chuckled a bit. Iris actually giggled a bit at his statement.

"I can see that." she said before turning her face back to the distance. "Why is she hiding from everyone? This seems really out of character for someone you describe as being a go-getter."

"I know. I wish I knew why. Viridi never struck me as one to keep secrets. She was always pretty easy to read. But as these months went by, she seems to have become more distant. I don't like the sound of it. It's hard to truly establish peace throughout the 3 worlds without one of its leaders." said Pit. Iris nodded at his statement.

"Well, she better have a good reason. I've agreed to let my past go at your recommendation, but it doesn't mean I've forgiven her. I'd like to see her truly make up for what happened in the past." said Iris. Pit was glad that there was no malice or warning in her words, just expressing how Iris truly felt about it.

"I feel the same way. Don't worry Iris. I'll make this work out. I never go back on a promise. Not to Lady Palutena. Not to Viridi. And not to you." said Pit.

"I know." smiled Iris, briefly touching the necklace around her neck, the very same one Pit delivered to her after their battle. "You've already done so much for me in such a short time. If it wasn't for you, I'd still be screaming bloody murder at Viridi."

"Well, I try." said Pit, giving her his usual cocky grin.

Smiling, Pit turned his eyes back to the sunrise. "This is one of the reasons I love Skyworld. You can always expect a beautiful sunrise."

"I agree." smiled Iris. Right as she said that, she turned her head to Pit. She got up on her tippy-toes, giving Pit a soft peck on the check, immediately making the angel's face go red.

And as that happened, another brief flash went off in the distance.

**(LINE BREAK)**

Dark Pit snickered as he brought the device he had in his hands to his side, looking at the two pictures in his other hand: one showing Pit's encounter with Iris in the bathroom, and the other showing Iris' "affection" towards Pit.

It was an Aurum device; one that Palutena said was called a "camera". She found it around after the Aurum invasion, and decided to keep it just in case.

"Oh boy do I have some prime blackmail material here." he snickered again.

**(LINE BREAK)**

"What's up with your face Pit?" asked Palutena.

"What do you mean?" asked Pit.

"Your face is all bruised up, and you look like you're blushing. Did something happen?" asked Palutena. Pit's face seemed to heat up even more at the question.

"Um, n-nope! N-Nothing at all!" he stuttered.

"Why are you stuttering?" she asked.

"I don't know!" cried Pit as he ran off. He needed to calm himself down somehow.

Dark Pit could barely contain his laughter. This was perhaps the most enjoyment he had at Pit's expense in a long time.

Yeah, one could say things were peaceful, in their own weird way.

However, the floodgates were soon primed to open.

**(END)**

**Well, that was a good little interlude. A little time has passed since the battle and now everyone is getting back to normal. Well, mostly everyone….**

**I certainly hope everyone caught the Thor reference. Boy, is that a great movie. **

**And leave it to Pit to freak out over a girl showing him some affection. Oh well, at least Dark Pit's enjoying it.**

**Stay tuned for the next exciting episode of….DRAGONBAL-wait, wrong show. Oh well, you know what I mean.**


	18. Chapter 17: Attack!

**Hello people! Sentinel07 here with Chapter 17.**

**Thanks again to all reviewers. :)**

_Italics means a character's personal thoughts._

**_Bold and italics refers to quotes using telepathy._**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Kid Icarus or any other referenced video game or anime.**

**Now, let's begin!**

**(BEGIN)**

**Chapter 17: Attack!**

Viridi leaned back in her chair in the central hall. Everything was in place. It took longer than expected, but everything was ready. She looked ahead of her, her commanders all in attendance, with many of her strongest warriors also joining them, some of them brand new.

"Everything in place?" she asked.

"Of course milady. All you have to do…is give the word." spoke Arlon, sadness evident in his voice.

Viridi turned to her side, seeing a nearby figure who gave her nothing but a nod. Viridi sighed and spoke to all.

"All right, let it commence."

**(LINE BREAK)**

Pit was mumbling to himself as he slept peacefully in his bed; dreaming of food and fighting and whatever else young angels dreamed off.

Too bad his sleep was soon interrupted.

"WOOP! WOOP! WOOP! WOOP!" an alarm sounded in his room, knocking the pajama-ed angel to the ground.

"Who? What? When? Where?!"

"_**Pit! Come in Pit!"**_ called Palutena.

"Yes Lady Palutena?!" replied Pit.

"_**You and Dark Pit must report to me at once! We've have huge trouble on the way!"**_ called Palutena.

"Trouble? What kind of trouble?" asked Pit.

Before he could get an answer, a tremor rocked him beneath his feet, causing him to fall to the ground. As soon as it stopped, Pit laid there wide-eyed. How could a tremor affect Skyworld? Only a powerful shockwave could do such a thing. For whatever reason, Pit got a bad feeling in his stomach as he got his good clothes on.

_In the central hall_

Pit and Dark Pit ran as fast as they could to the central hall, where they found Palutena with Eres right beside her. Eres had a very despondent look on her face.

"Eres? What's wrong?" asked Pit. Eres looked unsure as she looked to Palutena and sighed.

"It's Viridi." she started.

"What's up with Viridi?" asked Dark Pit.

"That tremor was caused by a huge shockwave caused from a laser from the Lunar Sanctum. Also, in that same area, a Reset Bomb was launched. There have also been severe lightning strikes and floods from the caves. The amount of damage on the ground was catastrophic." said Eres.

Pit was absolutely stunned to hear this.

"What?! Did Viridi do this?! Why?!" he asked. Eres looked like she wished to answer, but she just shook her head. Palutena noticed that she kept rubbing her neck, but didn't think much of it.

However, before they went further, a dark portal appeared, with Iris stepping out, flipping mad as she did.

"Will someone PLEASE tell me why I just saw a huge influx of human souls?!" Iris nearly yelled at them. Eres repeated the same story to her, but declined to go any further. Iris looked straight at Pit.

"Funny, you seemed to say that she showed no indication of such a thing." said Iris.

"I did say that. I don't get why." said Pit.

"I wonder if this is related to her staying in her sanctuary all these months. Was she planning this? If so, then for what reason?" questioned Dark Pit.

"Viridi said that she ended her conflict with the humans, just so long as we can keep the peace." said Pit.

"Well obviously, something went astray there." spoke Iris. Pit immediately ran over and got in her face.

"I'm telling you Iris, something is wrong here. There has to be a reasonable explanation for this!" said Pit. Iris grabbed his hands and lowered them.

"I haven't accused anyone yet Pit. I'd rather figure out what's going on before I decide on that." said Iris. After she let go of Pit's hands, she turned to Palutena. "Are the Forces of Nature attacking as well?" she asked.

"Yes," started Eres. "A large gathering of forces are storming the Valhalla Plains, heading towards the human settlement on the other side."

Iris nodded. "All right, I'm going to lead my troops against the Forces of Nature and try to slow them down."

"We're coming along. I'm sure that if there are a large number of troops, at least one or two commanders are there." said Pit.

"Palutena, can you get a good look at the plains?" asked Dark Pit.

"I can try." said Palutena as she closed her eyes. In her mind's eye, she tried to focus on the plains. Before long, she could see the large array of forces storming the plains. However, there was something else there….

"Prometheus! I can sense that Prometheus is at the plains too, and he's been attacked." said Palutena.

"Why am I not surprised." shrugged Dark Pit.

"We have to go help him. I don't know what Viridi is doing, but we have to halt the Forces of Nature." declared Pit.

"For once, I agree with you." said Dark Pit. "Let's get going. Every second we wait, the Forces of Nature get closer to that human city."

"Alright, you two know the drill. I'll fly Pit there. Pittoo will take the dragoon." said Palutena.

Putting aside being called Pittoo again, Dark Pit and Pit ran towards the door, Dark Pit getting a dragoon sent to him as he did. Before long, they were off and flying towards the plains.

"I'm going to go ahead and starting pitting the Underworld troops against them." said Iris. Palutena and Eres nodded

"Understood. Stay safe Iris." said Palutena.

Iris just smirked. "Hey, I'll take a crack at it."

**(LINE BREAK)**

"Iris, can you hear me?" Pit called as he was flying alongside Dark Pit.

"_**Yes, I can hear you. I've made it down to the plains. I'm about to engage."**_ replied Iris.

"Don't tax yourself too much. We're be there to help you soon enough." said Pit.

"_**I look forward to it."**_ Iris replied.

"Has anyone got in contact with Viridi?" asked Dark Pit, flying with the dragoon.

"_**None whatsoever. We haven't gotten any word from Viridi. Either something is blocking the mental transmission or just she's just ignoring us."**_ said Iris.

"That's odd. Last time this happened, Viridi came right out and gloated about her attack on the humans." said Dark Pit.

"We'll worry about that later. For now, let's get to the plains." said Pit.

"Heh, look at you, acting tough." smirked Dark Pit. Pit groaned but didn't get distracted. He had a job to do.

**(LINE BREAK)**

"Damn, those guys have been working out." groaned Prometheus.

The scythe wielder was surrounded by the Forces of Nature. No matter what he did, they seemed endless. Whenever he destroyed one, three more would take its place. It was beginning to annoy him greatly.

"Using sheer numbers to try to beat me? Only the weak use such underhanded tactics." growled Prometheus as he slayed two more monsters.

"DEATH SCYTHE!" Prometheus' attack ripped through a good line of Nature troops, only for more to appear. He was really not enjoying this.

However, when more troops were about jump him, Underworld troops suddenly intervened, protecting Prometheus. Dumbfounded, Prometheus turned to look behind him, seeing Iris in the distance and commanding her troops.

"Show off." he grumbled.

(LINE BREAK)

"There are the plains!" said Dark Pit as the two angels neared the land. Before long, they landed on the ground, running up to Iris who was taking down a couple Nature monsters by herself. After slaying them, she turned to the angels.

"Glad to see you could make it." she smiled. Pit ran up and looked over at the landscape. Besides the overwhelming amount of Nature troops, something caught Pit's eye.

"What is that blue energy coming from the Forces of Nature?" Pit asked. To be honest, Iris hadn't noticed that. She looked over and saw what Pit was referring to.

"You know what, I didn't notice. I don't know what it is. What about you Palutena?" she asked.

"_**I've never seen that energy before, but it seems to have given the Forces of Nature a power boost, hence why they seem to be holding up better than usual."**_ said Palutena.

"Well whatever it is, Prometheus seems to have his hands full with them too." said Dark Pit, pointing out to where they saw the reaper clawing his way through the troops.

"Can't believe we're actually helping him, but we have no choice. Charge!" cried Pit, running straight on into the fray.

"What an idiot. Charging like some….WHERE ARE YOU GOING?!" cried Dark Pit as he saw Iris charging straight along with Pit.

"Those two are more similar than I thought." he groaned as he prepared his Silver Bow.

_In the middle of the field_

Just as Prometheus slayed another monster, a light arrow shot past him and hit another. Turning around, he saw Pit approaching.

"What brings you here, kid?" he asked as he swung his scythe again.

"I'm saving your behind!" replied Pit. After slaying a couple more monsters, Pit and Prometheus ended up back-to-back.

"I don't need your help!"

"Well I'm here anyway, so you're getting help!"

"Figures I'd find you two spouting your mouths. Stop talking and start fighting!"

The last cry came from Dark Pit as he joined the group. The three of them were backed up together with a swarm of Nature troops around them. Between them, they had a silent agreement; they needed to finish this before they were to do anything else.

And thus the battle of Valhalla Plains began anew.

**(LINE BREAK)**

A long figure watched the battle unfold from the Overworld Sanctuary.

Ah, Pit, Dark Pit, and Prometheus all in one place. How fortunate." snickered the character before sending out a mental message.

"Send in the Titan Dweevil."

**(LINE BREAK)**

"Die scum!" cried Prometheus as his scythe arc destroyed more troops.

"I think you're running out of catchy lines!" smirked Dark Pit.

"Shut it! I'm not the one already exhausted!"

"You kidding me?! I can do this all day!"

"Hey, stay focused you two!" cried Pit.

Backed into the center of the field, the three of them had fought side by side against the imposing Nature force. To be honest though, they were starting to get tired. The Forces of Nature's sheer numbers was wearing them down.

"Phew….huff…huff….gotta keep going….huff…." Pit breathed out. He fell to one knee, barely able to avoid another attack. However, as one troop was about to jump him, Dark Pit swooped in and slayed it, helping Pit back to his feet.

"You got another round in you?" asked Dark Pit.

"I think I can hold up." said Pit.

"Hey Palutena, think we can get a snack or two?" asked Dark Pit.

"_**One snack coming up!"**_ Right as she said that, a piece of meat and some ice creams came out, instantly perking Pit up.

"Woo-hoo, floor ice cream!" he cried as he got to his snack, instantly giving him some strength.

"You're kidding, right?" deadpanned Prometheus.

"You get used to it after a while." said Dark Pit.

After the snack, the trio went back to killing, and killing some more, and then some more. However, after a little bit, the forces began to retreat.

"Huh, they're retreating?" asked Prometheus.

"Did we win?" asked Pit.

"No, I don't think though." said Dark Pit.

His guess was right as they soon felt stumping beneath their feet. Before long, a huge shadow loomed over the trio. They looked up, right into the face of a giant four-legged arachnid-like monster.

"Jeez louiz, what is that?!" cried Pit.

"The Titan Dweevil." stated Prometheus.

"You've heard of it?" asked Dark Pit.

"Yes, along with some other things." said Prometheus.

"Mind sharing?" asked Dark Pit.

Prometheus just smirked. "Perhaps….assuming we win here." he said as he prepared his scythe. The titan was not willing to wait. Before they knew it, a crackle of lightning shot down and nearly hit them.

"Woah! It can shoot lightning?!" cried Pit.

"Yes. The Titan Dweevil can control the elements of fire, lightning, and water. It also carries poisonous gas and has skin as hard as rock." explained Prometheus.

"Wow, talk about a monster." said Pit.

"Enough chit-chat! Find the weakness and exploit it!" cried Prometheus.

Unfortunately, the Titan Dweevil turned out to quite the behemoth. The rock-hard skin combined with poison gas made it tough for the warriors to get in close. In addition to that, Pit had an embarrassing moment when he got splashed with the Dweevil's water powers.

"Ugh, can't find a weak spot." groaned Dark Pit. Prometheus observed the Dweevil from top to bottom, looking for anything he could use. This thing was armed to the teeth, but Prometheus wasn't buying that it was invincible.

Suddenly, Prometheus took a good look at its head at the top. There seemed to be a space in the middle, perhaps enough for one good shot.

"Hey angels, distract it for a second would ya'?" said Prometheus.

"Um, well okay then." said Pit. "Hey bug-face! Over here!" he called.

As Prometheus hoped, the Dweevil turned itself towards Pit, striking him with lightning. The brief distraction gave Prometheus time to jump up its long legs to its head at the top. By the time the Dweevil noticed, it was too late.

"Now Helswath! SCREAMING RESONANCE!"

Helswath emitted an incredible sound wave that seemed to slice the very air. Prometheus slammed the full force of the sharpened blade into the Dweevil's head, causing it to explode, bringing the whole thing crashing down.

"Whoo-hoo! Nice!" cheered Pit as Prometheus dismounted the defeated insect. Then, Dark Pit noticed something.

"Huh? The Forces of Nature are retreating?" he asked.

"Perhaps they decided to flee after their leader fell?" suggested Pit.

"Who knows. In any case, I'd say it's time to break up this little get-together." groaned Prometheus. However, Dark Pit grabbed his arm.

"Hold on there. Not so fast. I can tell you know more about what's going on. In fact, I bet you even know how to defeat Viridi, given how much you seem to snoop around everyone." said Dark Pit.

"Watch your mouth angel." growled Prometheus. However, this time, Palutena decided to intervene.

"_**Great job everyone. The Forces of Nature are in full retreat."**_ started Palutena. _**"And Prometheus, we could really use your help. Any insight on this matter would be incredibly useful. Please, grant us your assistance." **_

Prometheus groaned again. He wasn't stupid. He knew that they wouldn't leave him leave peacefully.

"Fine."

**(LINE BREAK)**

"First of all, I must say thank you to Prometheus. Your cooperation is appreciated." smiled Palutena. Prometheus just scowled.

"Whatever toots. Let's just get the meeting other with. I don't like being in large groups." he groaned. Ignoring his nickname for her, Palutena continued.

"Now, we defeated the Titan Dweevil, but Viridi undoubtedly has more monsters up her sleeve, and there are her commanders as well. Prometheus, what do you know about all of this?" asked Palutena.

The rest of the group, consisting of Pit, Dark Pit, Eres, and Iris, waited in anticipation. Prometheus groaned. This is why he hated working in groups.

"Fine, get me a pencil would you?" he said. Eres came over and gave him one, to which he began writing on the paper in front of him.

"There were attacks from four major areas. The reset bombs came from the rebuilt Reset Bomb Factory. The giant thunderhead is being generated from the Thunder God Temple. Thirdly, the laser strike came from the Lunar Sanctum. Lastly, the floods came from the Ancient Cistern." he explained, writing a diagram of the general idea.

"What's the Ancient Cistern?" asked Pit. It was the only place he didn't explore the first time around.

"It's an underground system of caves, believed to be from a past human settlement. It's kind of like a graveyard there." said Palutena. That didn't make Pit feel any better.

"Anyway, if you're going to put a stop to the Forces of Nature, you'll have to focus on these areas. From what I hear, Cragalanche is at the Rest Bomb Factory, Phosphora is at the thunder temple, and Arlon at the Lunar Sanctum. Word is that Viridi has some kind of new monster in the cistern." explained Prometheus.

"Hmm, and we are very short on time. If we don't act soon, they'll likely all attack again. We can't go at them one at a time, we have to take them out together." explained Eres.

"But how?" asked Pit.

Palutena thought for a second. "The only way I can think of is that you all take a place to investigate. You'll all have to split up, and take on these commanders on your own."

"That's actually a sound idea. I got the temple. I'll take down Phosphora." said Dark Pit.

"Are you sure about that?" asked Palutena.

"I know Phosphora. I think I can handle her well enough." said Dark Pit. Palutena nodded in understanding and then turned to the others.

"If I have to take one, I'll do the Lunar Sanctum." said Prometheus before snickering. "I've entertained the idea of messing that place up sometime."

"Well, good for you." smiled Palutena sheepishly.

"I'll take the Reset Bomb Factory. I'll put a permanent end to them." said Pit resolutely. Palutena smiled at him.

"That's perfect Pit." said Palutena before turning to Iris. "So Iris, you have the Ancient Cistern."

"Guess that's good enough. I'm used to fighting in dark places." shrugged Iris. After that, Pit turned to Prometheus.

"You know, you should go get Pyrrha and Luna. They would be a big help." said Pit. Prometheus only looked down however.

"I cannot reach Pyrrha," started Prometheus. "She and Luna had been captured and imprisoned by Viridi."

"What?!" cried Pit, gunning over to Prometheus. "Why and how?!"

"Hell if I know kid. All I know is that they are being kept at the Overworld Sanctuary. That was the last bit of information I got." said Prometheus.

"Sounds like we have yet another job to do, but we'll have to destroy Viridi's other resources first." said Eres. The rest of the group nodded.

"Good. I guess we all have our assignments. We have a big job tomorrow. You're all free to spend the night here to recharge." offered Palutena.

"Thank you Palutena." bowed Iris.

"Whatever." groaned Prometheus.

"You got it, Lady Palutena!" saluted Pit. After that, the group dispersed for the night, but Palutena and Eres stayed.

"This must be hard for you Eres. You raised her and all." said Palutena, putting a hand on Eres' shoulder. Eres gave her a sad look.

"I only wish I could do more. I wish I could help, but I can't." she said tearfully, rubbing her neck again.

"You know, you've been rubbing your neck a lot. Is your voice okay?" asked Palutena. Eres put her hand down and gave a sheepish smile.

"It's alright. It's just a little irritated." said Eres.

"Well, if you're sure." said Palutena, who wasn't entirely convinced. "Anyway, let's go. It's time for dinner."

Palutena walked out of the central hall, leaving Eres to herself. Eres looked down at the plans written down, sorrow evident on her face.

"If only I could do more…." said Eres.

Right as she said it, a searing pain erupted from her neck, causing her to nearly choke on her breath. In her struggle, she pulled down part of her collar, revealing a light blue glyph around her neck.

"_**Tread lightly Eres. People can get hurt when they don't do as they're told."**_ a voice spoke to Eres.

"Ugh." groaned Eres in slight anger at hearing the voice. "S-Shut up!"

"_**Luckily for you, the destruction of the Forces of Nature can only further our plans, so go ahead and destroy them."**_ the voice laughed.

Eres breathed hard as the pain from the glyph began to wane.

"_**Push the goddess of nature to the brink of despair!"**_

As the voice and the pain vanished, it took everything Eres had to keep herself by crying. The little girl she raised was begging to be saved from her dark fate, yet she could do nothing.

**(END)**

**And it has begun! All those chapters of foreshadowing have led to this! And another 3,000 word chapter no less. Not bad.**

**Believe it or not, my original script had Pit instantly going from the battle with Iris to a battle with Viridi, but I decided that it needed more explanation than that, hence the decision to extend Part 1 by a few chapters.**

**Also, as a heads up, this is the last of my pre-planned chapters. That means that I don't have the next one written down right now, so updates may become a little more spread out, depending on what inspiration I get. However, rest assured that this story WILL be completed. I don't believe in not finishing stuff I start. I most to be through most, if not all, of the story by the time summer vacation ends.**

**But now we are officially in the home stretch of Part 1. I'm glad to have kept you all entertained to this point, and I hope it continues. Sentinel07, signing out!**


	19. Chapter 18: Go Team Go!

**Hello people! Sentinel07 here with Chapter 18.**

**Thanks to all who keep reviewing. You all make it worth it to keep writing.**

_Italics means a character's personal thoughts._

**_Bold and italics refers to quotes using telepathy._**

**Now, there are A LOT of line breaks in this one. We've got lots of major battles happening around the same time, so hopefully you can keep up.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Kid Icarus or any other referenced video game or anime.**

**Now, let's begin!**

**(BEGIN)**

**Chapter 18: Go Team Go! **

After a night of rest, the team was assembled once more. Everyone was in good spirits- well, as much as one would expect anyway.

"All right, is Team Palutena ready?!" cried Palutena.

"Yeah!" agreed Pit.

"Wait, you're calling us that? All you do is just sit here and talk to us." smirked Dark Pit, which promptly got him a smacking from Palutena's staff, although not enough to knock him out.

"Because I thought it would sound nice." she smiled.

"Whatever. I don't care anyway. I'm leaving. That Lunar Sanctum ain't going to destroy itself." groaned Prometheus, who immediately took his leave.

"His language aside, we really should get started." said Eres.

"I agree. All right everyone, you know where to go. Pit, I'll fly you to the Reset Bomb Factory." said Palutena.

"Understood, Lady Palutena!" saluted Pit. Right before he got to the staircase, Iris stopped him.

"Iris? What's wrong? Are you alright?" asked Pit.

"I'm fine….just uneasy," started Iris. "When I surrendered, I thought that war would finally be over. I don't like war…." she added solemnly.

Pit gave her a gentle hug in an act of assurance. "Don't worry Iris. We will find out why this happened. None of this makes sense now, but soon enough, we will know what Viridi's motivations are. And when we do, we'll know what to do."

Iris wasn't too sure. She hadn't forgiven Viridi for the attack on her home so long ago. She hadn't even met her face-to-face since she and Pit had fought. She just didn't know what to think. While she had no reason to believe that Viridi has any better of a person, she wanted to trust Pit.

That aside, she smiled at him. To Pit's credit, his smile was infectious.

"If anyone can solve this, it's you." said Iris, reaching up and pecking Pit on the cheek again. Like last time, Pit's face went red and he began running up the stairs. Dark Pit saw the whole thing.

"Are you trying to seduce him or something?"

"SHUT UP!"

That earned Dark Pit a punch to the face.

**(LINE BREAK)**

"All right, the Reset Bomb Depot is in sight." Pit flied close to the depot, not looking much different than how it looked before.

"_**Cragalanche is waiting at the center, where you destroyed the depot the first time around. You'll have to make your way there again." **_said Palutena.

"Again? Oh man." groaned Pit.

"_**Don't worry; I've got a Cherubot for you. Just take it and start shooting stuff."**_ smiled Palutena.

"Whoo-hoo! Cherubot!" celebrated Pit as he landed. Instantly, he jumped right into the Cherubot, bringing it to life. "Time to wreck this place up!"

At that, Pat began his descent into the center of the depot. As he fought the Nature forces along the way, he couldn't stop thinking about why Viridi would do this so suddenly. She seemed to be over her past vendetta against humans. Was she lying? Or was he just that naïve?

He didn't know anymore.

**(LINE BREAK)**

"I'm approaching the thunderhead." Dark Pit was riding the Lightning Chariot to the Thunder Cloud Temple. Palutena had asked why he wanted to go there, with him replying that he probably knew Phosphora better than most of them. Palutena had to agree, given the times Phosphora hung around Dark Pit.

"_**Good. I trust you can handle it from here? I'd like to keep an eye on Pit." **_

"No problem. I do just fine on my own!" called Dark Pit as he gave another push to Phos and Lux, charging straight through the Thunderhead and past the Forces of Nature. Dark Pit didn't have time for small fry; he had bigger plans in mind for this little trip. Soon enough, he raced through the wall, approaching the temple in the eye of the storm.

"All right Phosphora, let's see what you've got." sneered Dark Pit as he raced towards the temple, dismounting off the chariot and landing right outside the entrance. Almost immediately, he was surrounded by Nature forces.

"Sorry, but I've got other plans." said Dark Pit as he charged in with his Silver Bow at the ready.

**(LINE BREAK)**

"Ouch!"

Iris landed on her behind as she fell into the opening to the underground caves that led to the Ancient Cistern. Palutena had led her to an entrance, only to see that it was a long drop-off once she entered.

"Sorry for the rough landing. Anyway, you should see the path in front of you. You'll probably have to use your flames as a flashlight."

"That I can manage." Iris replied as she began walking through the dark caves. She lit up her spear, giving herself some light, although it wasn't a lot. Then again, it didn't matter too much; Iris was used to walking around in the dark.

Needless to say, the place was spooky. When Palutena described it as a graveyard, she wasn't kidding. Iris could swear she saw bones and other such remnants around the walls, which irked even her. Never the less, she kept on, walking into the silent darkness. However, that very fact confused and scared her; she had come across no Nature forces at all. Not a single one and that made her nervous.

"Something caused the floods down her, but what was it?" she questioned as all she could hear was her footsteps splashing through the ankle-deep water. Thoughts kept going through her mind, wondering if something was going to jump out at her. She head creaks throughout the area, but didn't see anything move other than a few tiny creatures. That being said, it wasn't long before she ended up backing into something hard.

"Wha-"she started as she saw a large looming statue above her. She had wondered into some kind of nearly submerged temple, half buried in water. That being said, Iris looked around, and the water struck her as odd. She couldn't see through it very well. She couldn't put her finger on it, but it felt….alive.

"What is this stuff?" she wondered as she stuck her hand inside the water.

Almost instantly, the water grabbed on to Iris, and she let out an ear-piercing scream.

**(LINE BREAK)**

Prometheus flew towards the edge of the planet's atmosphere, heading towards the operational Lunar Sanctum.

"I broke in to the sanctum once before, s o I know my way around." said Prometheus on the mental link. He didn't need advice from Palutena; he was already familiar with the inner workings of the sanctum. One time, he broke in there just for fun. And they didn't even know he was there.

Of course, it wasn't easy. The Lunar Sanctum's laser system was fully operational, and Prometheus had to keep rolling from side to side to avoid getting blasted. He gritted his teeth in frustration; he hated such things. Not only that, but Nature forces were on their way, so he had to brush them aside as well as dodging the lasers.

"Damn it, I hate distractions." growled Prometheus as he cut apart some Nature forces. Thankfully, he was finally nearing the Sanctum to the point where the laser was worthless. He knew that he would need to reach the center, and that Arlon the Serene was likely awaiting him. No matter, because he hardly cared. The commander was hardly a match for him.

Soon, he grinned as he found the spot on the Sanctum he was looking for.

"Bingo." At once, he unleashed his Death Scythe attack, cracking open a huge hole in the Sanctum. For Prometheus, it was time to raise some good old-fashioned hell.

**(LINE BREAK)**

"Cherubot! I love you so much!"

Pit was delighted at the power of the angelic mech, wrecking his way through the Forces of Nature. He got to the core in a breeze, feeling like it was much easier this time.

"_**Well, Viridi might have made a costly error. She's stationed her troops at so many places that they're stretched thin."**_ explained Palutena.

"Fine by me." smiled Pit. However, on the inside, he knew that this wouldn't be easy. Cragalanche was no joke after all. Pit would have to keep his wits about him just to get by. Anyway, he knew he was getting close, and the Cherubot was running low on health, so Pit dismounted from it and entered the inner sanctum of the depot. Like before, he could see the Rest Bomb Pods, and he would have to destroy it like before. However, he easily noticed the moving boulder in the center.

"Hey Cragalanche. Long time no see." said Pit.

"…."

"_**Pit, you know he doesn't talk much right?"**_

"Can't say I didn't try." sighed Pit as he readied his bow. "All right Cragalanche, time to….WOAH!"

Pit had to roll out of the way as Cragalanche launched towards him like a rocket, impacting the ground near him. Pit should have remembered that talk was cheap wit Cragalanche, so he immediately began doing what he came here to do; take out the depot. Steeling himself from his doubts, Pit engaged in battle with the herculean boulder.

**(LINE BREAK)**

BOOM!

Dark Pit flew in through the new entrance he made in the wall, tiring of fighting the Nature troops. He had lost count of how many he slayed up to this point.

"I'm sick of these small fry." growled Dark Pit as he observed the inner thunder sanctum. "PHOSPHORA! COME OUT ALREADY!"

Almost immediately, a bolt of lightning struck in the vicinity of Dark Pit, making him hop back a few feet. As he looked forward, he saw the Lightning Flash herself descend to the ground. Dark Pit readied his bow, although he noticed something odd. Phosphora hadn't spoken since he arrived, and there was none of her usual perkiness as he observed her. Not only that, he swore he could see a tiny light blue glyph on her shoulder.

Oh well, action was how he got most of his answers anyway. He prepared to attack, although before he could, Phosphora sighed, a slightly sad look on her face.

"It just had to be you to come here. I had hoped that it would be the others."

"Oh well, guess it's my lucky day. I know your strengths better than anyone outside the Nature army, so I'm naturally the best choice." sneered Dark Pit.

Phosphora just sighed again, getting Dark Pit's attention. Why was she like this? Truthfully, the usually perky and annoying Phosphora was the one he was used to, not one that was as quiet as this. It felt…bizarre.

"You know, you could explain yourself. Tell me why Viridi is once again waging war on the humans." requested Dark Pit.

"Mistress Viridi's war with the humans started 5 years ago. It never ended. It just took a break." said Phosphora, almost emotionlessly. Dark Pit scoffed at that.

"Took a break my foot. I'm not stupid enough to believe that. Now, are you going to give me the real reason or not?" said Dark Pit with more force. He was not one for patience. If Phosphors wasn't going to give a true answer, he didn't want to waste more time.

Surprisingly though, Phosphora gave him a sad smile. "I'd love to, but I can't. If I don't obey, everyone will die because of us."

Dark Pit raised an eyebrow. "Us? You mean the Forces of Nature? Looks like you're trying to kill us yourselves."

However, Phosphora raised her arms, with electricity flowing through like a torrent. "Mistress Viridi is doing what she needs to do to keep those she cares about safe. As her top commander, I will not disappoint her, no matter how wrong we know it is!"

Dark Pit was so confused, but it didn't matter right now. He had a fight to win now.

**(LINE BREAK)**

Similar to Dark Pit, Prometheus was forging his own way through the Lunar Sanctum, eventually arriving at his destination. There, he saw the Lunar Sanctum core, with Commander Arlon in front of it.

"You truly have no regard for other people's property." scowled Arlon. Prometheus just smirked.

"Like I care. The whole thing is going to hell anyway." Prometheus said as he readied Helswath. "Now then, shall we begin?"

Prometheus was not one to mince words, and Arlon knew what Prometheus was capable of. Arlon wasted no time in using his specialty; creating a dark view that covered the chamber. Needless to say, Prometheus was unimpressed.

"You think darkness is your ally? I'm an Underworld warrior; I was born and raised in darkness." Prometheus singled out Arlon's location, sending a Death Scythe shockwave in his direction. The blast impacted the wall, barely missing Arlon.

"I say, you should learn to use that power more wisely." said Arlon.

"I don't need advice from someone who will die soon enough." Prometheus rushed in, causing Arlon to attempt to block his attack. Arlon's defense consisted of his lunar rings, which for a defense good enough to hold Prometheus briefly. However, Arlon had a plan in mind.

"How about this?" Arlon pushed Prometheus back, preparing his lunar rings. However, instead of aiming for Prometheus, he aimed for Helswath; the weapon he wielded. A bit caught off-guard, the rings connected with Helswath, sending it flying to the other side of the room. Prometheus actually didn't look too surprised, although he seemed impressed by Arlon's creativity.

"Now you're defenseless!" Arlon rushed through the darkness and prepared to wound Prometheus enough to end this battle. However, before he could, Prometheus raised his right hand, now engulfed with light purple flames, surging almost like electricity. Prometheus lashed out with his flamed hand, slamming Arlon in the chest, and sending the commander sprawling to the ground.

"That wasn't a bad strategy. However, did you really think that Helswath is my only method of fighting? Oh, you are surely mistaken there. Allow me to demonstrate." grinned Prometheus, as more light purple energy engulfed his right hand.

"Primordial forces, heed my call and become annihilation incarnate! EXPIRATION!"

Prometheus' hand unleashed a roar of purple energy, obliterating anything in the way. Arlon gasped as the disintegrating blast neared him. At once, he used the last of his energy to form a barrier as the blast connected. Arlon still took immensely heavy damage, but if he hadn't gotten the barrier up, he would have been obliterated, just like everything else that attack touched.

Prometheus was left gasping for air after the attack, as it was something he could use all the time. Never the less, Arlon was down for the count, with very severe injuries throughout his body. Prometheus picked up Helswath from the edge of the room and laid his eyes on the central core.

"Death Scythe!" His main attack connected with the core, causing the detonation process to begin as the Lunar Sanctum's destruction began. As Arlon tried in vain to get back on his feet, Prometheus took one last look at him before teleporting out.

"Just lay there and die quietly, scum."

**(LINE BREAK)**

As the day trudged on, Viridi watched from the top of the Overworld Sanctuary. As she watched, a tone tear cascaded down her cheek.

Everything she cared for was being destroyed; her commanders, her home, and everything else she valued. Try as she might, she knew that it was only a matter of time before Palutena's Army finished every one of her forces.

As this happened, she briefly put her hands around her neck; around the light blue glyph that still left a burning sensation throughout her body. It was a reminder that she could never go back to peaceful times.

Walking back inside the currently empty hall, she walked back to her room. In there, she observed a picture; one that Palutena took when everyone got together after the war with Hades. Everyone who fought back then was there, with Pit in the front and having arms around her and Dark Pit and showing off that goofy grin of his.

It reminder her of when it was taken.

_*****Flashback to a week after the war with Hades*****_

Everyone was in Palutena's Temple, enjoying a nice dinner. Well, most of them were.

"Steak, Viridi?" offered Pit.

"I'm a vegetarian, you dork!" shouted Viridi.

"That's a bummer. You are so missing out." said Pit who shrugged. "Oh well, more for me."

"How you can hog that down baffles me. You better watch out and don't choke on the bones." she smirked.

"Oh, I'm always careful." said Pit. "But thanks for worrying."

Viridi immediately blushed. "I-I'm not worried! It's just that things would get too boring if you kicked the can early."

"...Um, thanks..." muttered Pit awkwardly.

Just then, Palutena started to gather everyone up. "Hey everyone, let's grab a picture while we're all here!"

Everyone, some of them grudgingly, gathered in front, with Pit putting his right arm around Dark Pit, and the other arm around Viridi, all while wearing his usual goofy grin. Phosphora, Cragalanche, and Arlon rounded out the cast behind them, with Phosphora also having an arm around Dark Pit and giving the peace sign.

"Okay, SMILE!"

_*****End flashback*****_

That time seemed so long ago. It was a time Viridi enjoyed more than she wanted to admit. The goofy angel had quite a bit for her, and this was hardly repayment for that.

"I guess...I can only hope I get them out of this alive...even if I don't."

She had to talk to Pit, just one more time.

**(END)**

**Man, what is up with all this drama! I never thought of drama as something I would do often. Anyway, so the war continues on, with the rest of these battles finishing up in the next chapter.**

**But what is truly behind Viridi's attack? And what is up with all these light blue glyphs that have appeared on characters such as Viridi and Eres? Could there be a hidden meaning?**

**Whatever the case, stay tuned for the next chapter. We have 3 chapters left in Part 1, with a finale that will stun all (at least I hope it does).**

**Sentinel07, out!**


	20. Chapter 19: Resolve

**Hello people! Sentinel07 here with Chapter 19.**

**Thanks to all who keep reviewing. You all make it worth it to keep writing.**

_Italics means a character's personal thoughts._

**_Bold and italics refers to quotes using telepathy._**

**By the way, make sure you read the AN at the bottom for something about future chapters.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Kid Icarus or any other referenced video game or anime.**

**Now, let's begin!**

**(BEGIN)**

**Chapter 19: Resolve**

"Take this!"

Pit's shot landed on Cragalanche's butt; the old weak spot was apparently still effective, much to Pit's relief. The rampaging boulder was as resilient as ever, and Pit was nearly run ragged after having to dodge so much. Luckily, Pit's last shot landed a direct hit on Cragalanche's weak spot, sending the boulder crashing into the wall unconscious.

"Phew, well that's that." panted Pit, needing to catch his breath a bit before turning to the core. "Now, as for you."

There was no issue here; the core was exposed and ready for shooting. With Cragalanche knocked out and the other Forces of Nature defeated, Pit shot freely at the core, bombarding it until he felt a familiar explosion.

"Uh oh, gotta go!" Pit cried out as he felt the familiar Power of Flight flow through his wings, replicating the familiar path of flying out of the Depot before it exploded. Like before, Pit barely made it out before the Depot started to crumble.

"All right, Depot is down!" called Pit.

"_**Nice work Pit."**_ complimented Palutena.

"It's funny. This was the part where Viridi said I was on her "To Kill" list." smiled Pit.

"_**And you still are, in a sense." **_replied a new voice in the mental link, one they both noticed.

"Viridi? Is that you?" asked Pit. It sounded like Viridi, only without her usual sarcasm.

"_**Pit, I need to speak with you. Meet with me at that flower field we met at before."**_ said Viridi, cutting herself off the mental link immediately after.

"_**Well, that was fast."**_ said Palutena.

"True. Lady Palutena, I think I should hear her out. Perhaps I'll figure something out." said Pit.

"_**Sure. Just let me send you a Dragoon. The Power of Flight is almost out for the day."**_ said Palutena, materializing a Dragoon next to Pit.

"Understood." said Pit as he boarded the machine. "Viridi, I hope I can get some answers out of you."

**(LINE BREAK)**

In the Ancient Cistern, the battle had begun.

Iris appeared out of the water, struggling and climbing out back onto land. The girl was practically gasping for air as she laid out on the land, just trying to get her breath back.

"That…was….horrible…" she panted.

However, a huge splash nearby interrupted her thoughts and got her back on her feet. A humanoid mass of water, blue in color, began crawling out of the water towards her. The being sported one solid mass within its liquid body, and it walked menacingly towards her.

"What is this thing?" asked Iris.

"_**That is a Waterwraith, a nature spirit entirely made of water. The only way to hurt it is by damaging the central mass inside in."**_ explained Palutena.

"Great." groaned Iris, armed at the ready. She had tied fighting this thing, but nothing she did worked. This thing, despite not being a whole lot bigger than her, just wouldn't be hurt by anything. However, Iris didn't get another minute to think, as the Waterwraith grabbed some kind of huge roller and began charging towards her, aiming to flatten her.

"Uh oh!" she cried as she began running in the opposite direction, heading back into the maze. Palutena quickly cried out to her, saying that going into the maze was a bad idea. The Waterwraith was especially good at pursuit. Going into a smaller area would be to its advantage.

"I got to at least get it away from the larger mass of water. Perhaps that might weaken it a bit." puffed Iris as she ran down the maze. She could hear the steamrolling sound of the Waterwraith quickly catching up to her. She turned a corner, hoping to lose it for now, but it kept up the pace. The menacing beast was persistent, and it didn't bode well for Iris.

"Gae Bolg can't seem to pierce the central mass. And my fire element spells might not work on a water beast." pondered Iris. "Although, it might not hurt to try." she added as she began to concentrate.

"O merciless conflagration, burn the very souls of my enemies! CRIMSON FLARE!" A giant ball of fire rose over the Waterwraith, bathing it in its blaze. Iris didn't have much faith that a fire spell though would do much.

However, to her surprise, the being slowed down.

"Huh?" asked Iris. The Waterwraith didn't look really damaged, but it looked…stunned at least. In addition, it looked more solid than usual. That was when Iris made the connection.

"Wait, I get it. Magic. Its weakness is magic, and that could open up my chance to attack." she smiled as she readied Gae Bolg again. She was ready now. "FLAME BURST!"

The fire attack hit the Waterwraith head on, causing it to stumble back as it glowed solid blue again. Smirking, Iris jumped forward, lunging her lance downward, striking the Waterwraith from above.

"Kresnik Spear!" Her attack lit up Gae Bolg as the attack struck the wraith's center core. The force of the attack cracked through the core, shattering it and ending the beast.

"Yes!" cheered Iris. However, she noticed that the being's watery form was still there, and inflating, kind of like a balloon.

"Uh oh."

The watery form exploded, causing a torrent of water that engulfed Iris, leading her back out to the main area, where she fell back into the lake. It took a good half-minute for her to get back above water and swim over to the edge.

"I hate swimming." she said as she spat water out of her mouth.

**(LINE BREAK)**

Needless to say, things were chaotic at the Thunder God Temple. Even more so when they ended up literally blowing the roof off the place. Dark Pit as at one side, briefly catching his breath. Phosphora was definitely no joke.

"Heh, you're a bit stronger than you used to be." smirked Dark Pit. Phosphora just watched him emotionlessly. "What, no retort?"

"I'd prefer to keep fighting rather than talk." said Phosphora, shooting more lightning at Dark Pit. He rolled to the side to dodge.

"Come on, you know I can dodge attacks like that easily." smirked Dark Pit.

"Hmm, perhaps you're right," pondered Phosphora. Dark Pit raised an eyebrow as she seemed to gather energy in her body. "LIGHTNING SPIRITS!"

At that point, several little beings, all made of pure lightning, materialized around Dark Pit. They didn't look strong, but there were many of them. Dark Pit readied himself as Phosphora commanded them to attack.

"Ugh, so many of them." Dark Pit slashed left and right, as the numerous spirits flew around him. His body was beginning to feel a little numb from the constant electricity, but he could pull through. However, he noticed that Phosphora wasn't attacking at all. In fact, she appeared to be gathering more energy.

"I dwell amidst the abounding light of heaven. Thou art at the gate to the Underworld. Come forth, thunder of the gods!"

Before Dark Pit could even begin to interpret what Phosphora was saying, purple and blue glyphs appeared all around him. The thunderhead directly above them seemed to amplify the thunder in the air.

"Uh oh." he said.

"This ends here. INDIGNATION!"

At once, the glyphs erupted with thunder and lightning, impacting Dark Pit's location in an explosion so loud, it reverberated throughout the thunderhead.

**(LINE BREAK)**

As much as Prometheus would have loved to just turn in for the day, he knew that most of the others wouldn't shut up if he didn't at least pay the Overworld Sanctuary a visit. After all, his little sister and her best friend were trapped there.

"Such a pain." he groaned as he flew within distance. As expected, some Nature forces were in front of the temple, as if expecting him. No matter, he could use a cool down after beating Arlon. Smirking, Prometheus landed and began slaying the Nature forces in his way. After tearing through the Lunar Sanctum, a few measly Nature forces were no match for him.

In typical fashion for him, he kicked open the doors, seeing the central hall. However, one fact caught him a bit off-guard.

"Empty? Didn't expect that." As he said, the central hall was empty. Not even a single Nature soldier was there. Prometheus was a bit disappointed, but he figured that he might as well carry on. Then, with his sharp hearing, he heard voices.

"Dammit! Let us out!" The voices were faint, but he could tell whose yells they were. They belonged to Pyrrha obviously. Prometheus nodded as he heard the familiar cursing of his little sister. Following the voice, Prometheus determined that it was directly below him. In typical fashion, he broke a hole in the floor, falling through it. He broke as many floors and walls as he needed to get to his destination. Of course, a couple more troops ambushed him, although they were no match for Helswath.

BOOM!

He destroyed one more wall, finding himself in a prison hold. Right in front of him, were the people he was looking for.

"Prometheus!" cheered Luna with tears in her eyes. Pyrrha came over as well, happy to see her brother here. Prometheus sighed.

"You two are such a pain. How many times have I broken you out of something?" he smirked. Pyrrha glared at him.

"Just open the damn door!" she almost shouted. Prometheus shrugged, grabbing the keys that opened the magic lock that kept the warrior and Moon goddess under wraps. Right after he opened the door, Luna jumped forward and hugged him.

"I knew you would come back for us." she mumbled against his chest. Prometheus recoiled a bit, to the smirking delight of his sister. He immediately pushed Luna away, who had a bit of a disappointed look on her face.

"You two are such an annoyance sometimes. Why do I have to keep saving you whenever you both go gung ho on someone?" he asked.

"Because that's exactly what you do?" smirked Pyrrha.

"I'm strong enough to do whatever I want. I'm not weak like you two." he growled at them with all seriousness. He scoffed and turned around, wanting to get out of here. However, he barely got two feet before Luna grabbed his hand.

"Why don't you come with us? You know what's coming, so let's fight together like the old days when we…" she trailed off as she got further on in her sentence. Prometheus gave an evil grin and tossed Luna away.

"There is no we. Not since that time. I don't need….anyone!" he spouted with more emphasis. As Prometheus walked away, Luna looked down.

"Why? Even after 200 years, Orcos still controls him." said Luna. Pyrrha came over and put a hand on her friend's shoulder.

"It was his choice. It was the only choice we had then." said Pyrrha before smiling. "But I still believe there's hope for him. I think that's why he seeks the ultimate opponent, to settle that part of himself. When that time comes, you can finally formally introduce him to your family." she ended with a smirk.

"W-What does that mean?!" cried Luna, blushing heavily.

"You know what I mean." shrugged Pyrrha with a smile. "Anyway, let's grab your parasol and get out of here. We have to tell Palutena that the Forces of Nature have abandoned the Sanctuary."

**(LINE BREAK)**

Pit easily found the flower field where he met Viridi before, touching down in the grass.

"Alright, where are you?" he asked out loud.

"Over here." Viridi spoke from the edge of the patch, overlooking the plains. Pit didn't sense any animosity, so he approached her.

"So, you have something to tell me? It better be good after what just happened." said Pit with some force. He didn't want to be mean, but he wanted answers. Viridi sighed.

"You're frustrated. I can tell. It's understandable." she started. "I just wanted to talk to you one last time, before everything get settled tomorrow."

"Tomorrow? What do you mean? And on that note, why are you doing this? I thought your war with humans was over long ago, like we all agreed on." said Pit.

"Pit, my war with humans was never over. It just took a break." spoke Viridi. Pit took one look at her and shook his head.

"You're lying. You're acting just like Iris did when I was fighting her. Something, or someone, is making you do this. I just know it." said Pit.

"You are so naïve. You haven't even known me that long." said Viridi.

"Long enough to believe that you are a friend, and as your friend, it's my duty to set things right." said Pit. "Call off your army, and we can fight whoever is causing you to do this."

Viridi actually gave a soft smile, but shook her head. "You're unbelievable. Who said anyone was controlling me?"

"I did, because I can see you tugging on your neck collar. I saw a glyph there briefly." said Pit, pointing at her neck. Viridi took a step back, bringing her hand to her neck. "I'm right, aren't I? Someone is making you do this."

Viridi looked to the side. "It doesn't matter. This will end tomorrow, one way or another." After she said this, she approached Pit and looked him in the eye. His blue eyes met her yellow ones. Before Pit could react, she planted one soft kiss on his cheek.

"Just something to remember me by." she said as she pulled away, not looking back at Pit as she walked away. Just before she left, she turned back one more time.

"Pit, I'm going to be at the Gardens of Elysium. There, everything will be settled. And you better bring the Great Sacred Treasure, because if you don't, you will die." she said ominously.

As Pit ran up to her, she gave a last "Farewell" before disappearing.

"Why did she do that? What does this all mean?" Pit asked himself as his right hand went to the spot where Viridi kissed him.

**(LINE BREAK)**

The dust settled around the Thunder God Temple. Phosphora landed on the ground, panting in exhaustion. She had just used her most powerful technique; one that she still hadn't fully mastered, and it took all of her magic to do so.

In front of her, an injured Dark Pit struggled towards her. Thanks to his quick reflexes, he was able to sidestep the center of the blast, taking much less damage than he would have otherwise. Still, he was quite injured, and couldn't go much longer.

"Huff….huff….You're as resilent….as ever….huff." said Phosphora.

"You…are…as…well…huff…" breathed Dark Pit as he tried to stay on his feet. He didn't want to leave anything undone. Phosphora struggled to her feet too.

"I think….I'm going to take my leave…" said Phosphora.

"Why? This isn't over yet." said Dark Pit, catching his breath.

"My spell just destroyed the better part of the temple. It's not useful anymore. There's no reason for me to stay. I need to get back to Lady Viridi." said Phosphora, floating into the air and beginning to fly off. Before she did, she looked back at Dark Pit once more.

"Honestly, I really hope you survive tomorrow. If you don't, then Lady Viridi's struggles will be for nothing." she said as she zipped out of sight.

"What?" Dark Pit could only wonder as Palutena warped him back to Skyworld.

**(LINE BREAK)**

"Well done everyone." said Palutena. "You successfully completed every mission."

Everyone was gathered back at Palutena's Temple as night began to fall. Pyrrha and Luna apologized for their abrupt capture. Prometheus was sitting at a window still by himself.

"We're deeply sorry. If only we didn't try to handle this ourselves." said Pyrrha.

"What did you discover?" asked Pit.

"We discovered that…..there is more to this. I can't really say more, but someone is operating from behind the scenes." said Luna. Pit hit his hands together.

"I knew it! We have to save Viridi from whatever monster is doing this." said Pit.

"Calm down Pit. I admire the enthusiasm, but we have to think about this." said Palutena. "Viridi told you to come to the Gardens of Elysium and bring the Great Sacred Treasure?"

"Yeah, she said that." said Pit.

"What is the Gardens of Elysium?" asked Iris.

"It's a special place; the ultimate sanctuary of nature. It houses Yggdrasill, known as the World's tree. It was kept hidden from this world, but it recently was unlocked." said Palutena.

"Unlocked?" asked Dark Pit.

"The key to unlocking the gardens was unlocking the power of 4 locations: The Valley of Repose, the Wistful Wild, the Perplexing Pool, and the Awakened Wood. These places harness the power of the seasons and are the key to the gardens. That's why I had them investigated. Someone was activating them, and now I can see why." explained Palutena.

"But why the Great Sacred Treasure?" asked Pit.

"I don't know. Perhaps Viridi wants to merge with Yggdrasill. If she were to do that, she'd be easily as strong as Hades, if not more, so you'll need the Great Sacred Treasure." said Palutena.

"I see." said Pit. This didn't look good at all.

"Well, we'll have to prepare for tomorrow. We'll have to be at our best." said Palutena.

"Here here!" agreed Pyrrha.

As everyone settled, Pit looked out to the night sky, just wondering what in the world was going to happen.

**(LINE BREAK)**

Meanwhile, deep underground, a familiar soldier observed their creations. Three large behemoths loomed over him, along with an array of strange new soldiers. One animal-like soldier appeared and bowed.

"Master Eldran, the Einherjar and Monoliths will soon be ready." spoke the soldier. The being looked at him and smiled.

"Excellent. Lord Kronos will be pleased when these babies hit the scene." spoke Eldran, laughing as he watched the building army.

**(END)**

**And another chapter is completed. From here on, we enter the final battle of Part 1: Rise of Kronos. Stay tuned for the big battle!**

**Oh, and the "strange new soldiers" mentioned at the end look very similar to the Silent Realm monsters from Zelda: Skyward Sword.**

**Also, if you're interested, check out my profile for some possible upcoming works alongside this story. I've grown to like Prometheus, Pyrrha, and Luna. Also, if you couldn't tell by this chapter, they have a bit of a story of their own to tell. However, it's only worth if if the fans like the thought of it, so if it interests you, please let me know.  
**

**Now, so far, I've received two OC's from reviewing authors, and I'm still open for more. My plan is for a trio of your OC's to appear later on as a group. So, I at least have room for one more OC from you guys. Also, since the other 2 OC's are males, it would be nice if someone wanted a female OC. Of course, no one is required to do this, but I have no problem integrating others into the story. Let me know if any come to mind.  
**

**Well, tell me what you think. I hope everyone is still enjoying this. Sentinel07, signing out!**


	21. Endgame 1 - Part 1: Viridi's Heart

**Hello people! Sentinel07 here with our first Endgame chapter. In other words, the first chapter of the end of Part 1.**

**Thanks to all who keep reviewing. You all make it worth it to keep writing.**

_Italics means a character's personal thoughts._

**_Bold and italics refers to quotes using telepathy._**

**Oh, and just as a heads up, make sure you all take a look at the bottom author's note. Just to let you know.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Kid Icarus or any other referenced video game or anime.**

**Now, let's begin!**

**(BEGIN)**

**Endgame 1- Part 1: Viridi's Heart**

The very next morning, Pit approached the Great Sacred Treasure in the temple. Right now, it was kept in its simple mode; a mode that conformed to Pit's body as to allow better movement. According to Palutena, he could switch to Full mode at any time. In other words, he could change back to the form the treasure took back against Hades.

"You ready?" asked Palutena. Pit looked behind him, seeing everyone present. Of course, he wasn't going in alone. Dark Pit, Iris, Prometheus, Pyrrha, and Luna were also coming as back-up, especially since this was an unknown area they were going to break into. Palutena and Eres were staying in Skyworld to keep an eye on the situation.

"Well, there's no going back now. I don't have a clue what she's planning." sighed Pit.

"How about we figure that out after we take her down?" groaned Dark Pit. Pit glared at him briefly before looking back at the Great Sacred Treasure. Dark Pit was right. There was no room for doubts right now. The lands had been devastated by the Forces of Nature's attacks, and he had to stop them; for better or for worse.

With that in mind, Pit stepped inside the treasure, feeling the mech naturally form around him. It was go time!

**(LINE BREAK)**

"So what exactly is up with this Gardens of Elysium place?" Pit asked.

Clad in the Great Sacred Treasure, Pit was flying through the air, followed by Dark Pit and everyone else who was coming. Dark Pit was riding a Dragoon like before.

"_**The Gardens of Elysium are about as sacred a place as you will ever find in the world."**_ started Palutena. _**"The tree that thrives there, Yggdrasill, is filled with the energy that feels the Earth. Of course, such a place shouldn't be allowed to be entered by just anyone. With that in mind, the gods before me sealed it away from view. The only way of unlocking it and revealing it to the world was by unlocking the powers of the four seasonal sites.**_

"And you mentioned something about Viridi being able to fuse with this tree?" asked Dark Pit. "How can she even do that?"

"_**She can if she has the Heart of Mother Earth. It's a stone that I believe was left in the Earth Grove. If has it, she can most likely fuse with the tree."**_

"Wonderful." Dark Pit groaned.

"Let's just get this over with. I don't like being in large groups." sighed Prometheus.

"You don't like being in groups period." Pyrrha rolled her eyes.

As a little bickering occurred in the background, Pit kept his eyes forward, hoping to end this. He promised that he would save Viridi from this, just like he did with Iris, and he never went back on a promise.

Meanwhile, a lone figure observed the area, seeing the destruction laid out by the Forces of Nature and the battles they caused. Chuckling, Eldran looked pleased at how things were progressing.

"The spirit of chaos is engulfing this land. All it needs is a little more. After that, all it'll need is the key…" he trailed off as he vanished from view.

**(LINE BREAK)**

"All right, it's around here." said Palutena. The group stopped where she said. Unfortunately, where they stopped was in the middle of nowhere. Where was this tree supposed to be?

"Um, where is…WOAH!" cried Pit. The ground and even the air seemed to shake around the ground, as if the world was experiencing an earthquake. Then, Iris pointed forward.

"Look! Over there!"

In front of them, a humongous sight began wavering into existence. At first glance, it almost resembled some of kind of forest in a cage. However, the strands of light forming the "cage" dissipated, creating another shockwave towards the group. After they recovered from that one, they got their first real look at the Gardens. The outside seemed to live up to its name; resembling a patch of plains and flower fields. Further inward loomed a giant forest, with trees so high that they actually obscured Yggdrasill.

"We have to go through that?" groaned Iris.

"Well, we better get started." Dark Pit observed some Nature forces beginning to come out of the woods. "We've got company."

"Pit," Luna called to him. "You go straight for Viridi. We'll handle the Forces of Nature."

"Are you sure?" asked Pit.

"Just go already Pit-stain." groaned Dark Pit as he readied his Silver Bow. "They're not going to wait for you to make a decision."

Pit didn't like the idea of letting them fight alone, but an extra word from Palutena convinced him to head straight on. Still in the GST's portable mode, Pit charged through the Forces of Nature, with the others right behind and beginning to slay the large array of forces. Viridi wasn't holding back. This was probably LITERALLY the troops she had remaining.

But Pit didn't have to worry at all, as the others began fighting the forces, keeping them mostly away from Pit. Before long, Pit zoomed forward, entering the Garden's deep forest.

"All right, now that he's finally gone, how about we really get to business?" sneered Dark Pit as he faced the large amount of Nature troops before him.

"Tch, nothing but small fry." sighed Prometheus.

"Well, the sooner we finish, the sooner we can catch up with Pit." said Luna with a teasing look at Prometheus. He just scoffed at her again.

**(LINE BREAK)**

"_**Be on guard Pit. We don't know what could be behind these trees."**_ warned Palutena.

"Understood Lady Palutena." affirmed Pit. "Still, this is one strange place. Doesn't look all that special."

"_**Looks that way when you're just flying by and not observing the place. They say this place has many secrets that are still undiscovered. Even I don't know what this place holds, besides Yggdrasill."**_

"Huh, no kidding. Still, odd to see that I haven't run into a single Nature troop since I entered." said Pit.

"_**Guess Viridi sent them all at the others. I still haven't been able to contact her via mind link. Be cautious just in case."**_

"You got it. I do hope though that the whole merging with Yggdrasill thing was just a bluff though." said Pit.

"_**Me too. It won't be good for Viridi."**_ said Palutena.

"What do you mean?" asked Pit.

"_**I may not know everything about Yggdrasill, but I do know that merging with such a powerful thing would cause enormous stress on the body. Depending on how strong Viridi is, the stress of merging with Yggdrasill may kill her before you do."**_

"Woah that is bad." worried Pit. "All right, I understand. If she does, I'll have to defeat her quickly."

"_**Absolutely. Be careful."**_

Pit nodded in understanding, just hoping he'd get out of this soon. However, looking further in, he could begin to see something looming in the distance…and it looked huge!

"Oh boy." gulped Pit as he realized that it was likely Yggdrasill; a tree that was likely larger than the Chariot Master's Tower he had to hike up so long ago.

Still in the GST's portable mode, Pit flew closer to the center of the Gardens. Yggdrasill seemed to loom over him as he got closer, almost overwhelming him with its size. After he cleared the high trees, Pit followed Palutena's advice and began flying towards the base of the tree. He searched the ground, trying to find Viridi.

"I'm over here!" He heard a voice shout out to his left. Looking in that direction, he could finally see Viridi, standing there at the base of the tree, with an odd stone in her arms. Pit immediately flew over.

"Viridi! So you weren't kidding when you said you would be here." said Pit. Viridi just looked at him with a blank look. Pit was starting to worry that she wouldn't answer, until she sighed.

"Of course I'm here. There's no better place than to end this." said Viridi, the stone in her arms beginning to shine. It didn't take Pit even a second to realize that it was the Heart of Mother Earth in her arms. Viridi noticed the look in his eyes.

"I guess Palutena told you what this is." Taking a breath, she sighed again. "Well, that saves me any more explanation. I'd rather get this over with."

With that, the stone began to convulse and shine, making the ground beneath her rumble a bit. Pit realized what was happening; he couldn't let her go on with it!

"Wait Viridi! Let's talk about this!"

"The time for talking is over! **Now is the time to fight!" **

Viridi erupted in a flash of yellow light, one that nearly knocked Pit backwards. Realizing what was happening, Pit switched the GST to its battle mode, recreating the mech's original power. Pit grunted as he held his ground against the powerful force. He watched as Yggdrasill began glowing and convulsing, with Viridi disappearing from his view in the process.

Yggdrasill convulsed back and forth, often causing Pit to fly backwards a bit. This was a new situation to him. Branches of the great tree were flying everywhere, causing Pit to fly back and forth. Eventually, it even forced him to fly upwards, dodging the branches and energy spikes from the tree. Gritting his teeth, Pit continued flying, the armor of the GST proving itself to be quite sturdy. Still, the tree's large size made it increasingly hard to dodge, causing Pit to grind right through certain parts of it. Thankfully, he was able to get through that and fly above the tree, catching his breath as he watched the great tree shift and convulse.

"Oh my go…" Was all Pit could say as the most unbelievable sight emerged before him. The tree's top branches parted away, leaving the trunk of the tree unblocked. The trunk twisted and shifted, as two wooden arms erupted from the sides, the middle of the trunk taking on the shape of a familiar figure. Right after, the top twisted into a head, with branches and leaves forming a sort of long ponytail. Familiar facial features formed on the "face" as two yellow eyes glowed from the monstrosity. He could hardly believe that this was really Viridi.

"V-Viridi?"

"**Now,"** Viridi took a breath and continued, **"We can begin. Cragalanche! Arlon! Phosphora!"**

At once, Viridi's commanders all appeared in front of her, all having a look of submission on their faces. Right as Pit was going to ask them what was happening; all three of them glowed, their power flowing into Viridi. At once, an enormous rock-like staff appeared in Viridi's right hand, lightning encased her left arm, and a golden ornament adorned her "torso".

If Pit didn't feel tiny against Medusa or Hades, he felt it now.

"Man, why can't I fight someone my size for once?" he groaned. However, Viridi apparently had no time for groaning; she was already attacking!

"**Storm of Thorns!"** Hundreds of thorns from vines Viridi created surrounded Pit at once. Pit, being caught off-guard, tried to maneuver out of the way, ending up quite a few holes on the right side of the treasure.

"**You gonna put up a fight or not!"** Viridi roared at him. Pit gritted his teeth, a bit mad at himself for getting sidetracked. He refocused himself just in time, as Viridi was attempting to slam him with the Cragalanche staff. He barrel-rolled to the side, aiming the GST cannon at Viridi. At once, Pit started firing arrow shots at Viridi, who blocked most of them with the staff. However, the few that got through didn't seem to do much.

"Huh?"

"**Arlon's pretty good at defense, don't you think?"** Viridi seemed to sneer at him. Pit flinched at the statement, seeing the golden ornament on Viridi's "chest" glowing.

"A mountain-like staff and a super hard defense. Well, here goes!" Pit charged towards Viridi, dodging another Storm of Thorns. He unleashed more arrow shots at Viridi, trying to find a weak spot somewhere. He continued to unleash the storm of arrows continuously, even as Viridi aimed a lightning strike from her left arm at him.

The lightning surged through the GST, electrifying Pit a bit. A little fried but still ready to go, Pit maneuvered over the tree, looking for anything to hit her at. Then, something caught his eye. Right above Viridi's "breast" laid a small sparking stone; the Heart of Mother Earth that she used to fuse with.

"That could work! Hiyah!" Pit charged once again, ducking low but still getting scraped at Viridi lashed out with the staff. Charging a charged shot, Pit aimed for the small light, landing a direct hit. Viridi leaned back a bit, obviously pained a bit by the attack.

"**Ugh, lucky shot! See if you can do that again!"** she challenged.

"I wouldn't have to if you would listen!" Pit cried back.

"**That ship has sailed Pit! The only way you're leaving alive is it you beat me!"** Viridi was obviously past listening**. "Poison Cloud!"**

At once, a purple mist began erupting from sprouts on the vines. Wanting to have no part of that, Pit flew upwards a bit, flying high above the tree where the cloud couldn't reach him.

"That was a bit too close." sighed Pit.

"_**Pit, behind you!" **_cried Palutena.

Pit looked back and saw large vines trying ensnare him. Gasping in, Pit tried to reel back, but the vines tangled up the GST.

"Oh crud!" Pit tried to break himself loose, but he couldn't effectively fire arrows from this point, but then he remembered.

"Duh." he reprimanded himself as he activated the GST's sword arm, unleashed a long blade of blue. While not as wieldy as when it was in Ultralight mode, the sword was still quite effective even in Normal mode. The sword slashed through one of the vines, leaving half of the mech free to twist itself out.

"Sigh, this isn't going to end soon." Pit muttered to himself.

**(LINE BREAK)**

Meanwhile, just outside the forest, the others were continuing their fight with the Forces of Nature. However, as they did, Luna felt oddly strange, like a chill just ran through her body.

"What's wrong?" asked Pyrrha, as she and Prometheus flew near her.

"Guys….I think we need to end this now." Luna said after a brief pause.

"Why?" asked Prometheus.

"I have this feeling." Luna took a deep breath before she continued, "That if we don't stop soon, something bad is going to happen."

"What do you mean? Is it about **him**?" asked Pyrrha. "As long as Pit defeats Viridi, we should be fine."

"No." said Luna, shaking her head. "Something feels way wrong. I feel…chaos…everywhere. I feel...**his**…chaos."

Luna began to clam up a bit, causing Prometheus to hold her up as he slayed another monster with his free arm.

"What's up with her?" asked Dark Pit.

"I don't know, but she's not one to mess around. Let's wrap this up quickly." said Pyrrha.

**(LINE BREAK)**

"Great Sword!"

"**Mountain Break!"**

The clash between Pit and Viridi continued to go back and forth, with Pit being forced to push the GST to its limits. Granted, he had been fortunate enough to keep the GST in one piece so far, but he wasn't sure how long that would last. Not only that, he was beginning to see what Palutena was talking about; Viridi wasn't looking too good.

"Viridi, you need to separate from Yggdrasill! It'll kill you if you stay!" Pit tried to reason with her.

"**I never asked you to look out for me!"** Viridi roared back as she welled up magic. **"Mother of Earth, unleash your might! Column of Gaia!"**

Far beneath Pit, golden columns of earthly might erupted from the surface, fully engulfed Pit's sword-side. Grunting a bit in pain, Pit shifted to the side, although his sword arm was near useless now.

"**Pant….pant….I'm not done yet…pant."** Viridi was trying to catch her breath. While both of them were running low on energy, the toll of merging with Yggdrasill was wearing Viridi down. The effect was obvious with her magic spell; under normal circumstances, it would have been twice as powerful.

"_**Pit! She's wearing down! You need to finish this and force her to separate from Yggdrasill!"**_ alerted Palutena.

"You got it! Time to end this!" charged Pit as he made a beeline for the stone on Viridi's chest. Struggling to keep up, Viridi unleashed another Storm of Thorns. However, Pit didn't let it stop him, charging straight through, despite taking a few hits. With a charged shot ready, Pit narrowly dodged another rock staff strike, turning upside-down as he aimed for the stone. With one last thrust, Pit fired the charged shot at the stone once again, causing it to convulse and glow.

"AHHHHHHHHHHH!" Viridi cried out in pain, causing her to hold herself up. Almost instantly, Phosphora and the others were forced out of her, falling to the ground harmlessly, as they were almost completely drained. Pit turned from them to Viridi, seeing her shift and twist and doubling over. However, he could see that she was a bit smaller now from her gargantuan form, and he could even see some of her human form returning.

"It's….over." Pit said to himself, allowing himself to smile finally.

However, his joy was short-lived, as Viridi's body suddenly began to glow yellow. Pit gasped as he could make out the light blue glyph on Viridi's neck shining.

"What's happening?!" cried Pit. Right as he said that, a voice echoed over the area ominously.

"_**The spirit of chaos has engulfed this land. Now, time for the key."**_ echoed the voice. Right as it said that, the yellowish glow on Viridi began to brighten, as if she was being filled with some kind of energy. However, Pit noticed that Viridi didn't seem to be doing anything. In fact, it looked like this energy was hurting her, as her still large form was wracked with pain.

"Viridi!" called Pit, hoping to reach her. Flying closer, Pit saw Viridi raise her head up, looking straight at him with her right eye open. He gasped a bit. It wasn't the creepy Yggdrasill eye from the battle. It was Viridi's naturally yellow one, a lone tear falling from it.

"Pit…..I'm sorry…" she choked out in her normal voice.

Right as she said that, the yellow energy around her erupted, going straight into the sky like a volcano. Viridi practically screamed in pain, with Pit feeling absolutely helpless as Viridi and Yggdrasill itself became a large column of light.

"No!" Pit heard a voice from behind him, seeing the others catching up. Apparently, it was Luna who cried out.

"What is it?! What's going on?!" yelled Pit.

"We're too late." muttered Pyrrha, a horrified look on her face. Pit had no idea what they were talking about as he turned back to the column of light. He looked straight up at where it was going, and saw that it was hitting "something" in the sky, although Pit couldn't see anything.

However, as the column took on a more tree-like look, the very sky began to crack.

"What the hell? What is happening to the sky?!" shouted Dark Pit. Iris covered her mouth with her hands, an overwhelming feeling of dread coming over her. Even Prometheus was stunned to see what was happening.

"_**How is this happening?!"**_ cried Palutena.

Then, they all heard the booming sound of a dreadful voice. What would follow would soon be the equivalent of all hell breaking loose.

"**Heh heh, good work."**

The sky cracked wide open, creating a very turbulent atmosphere as Pit and the others struggled to stay upright. Pit felt an ominous feeling of doom through his whole body, as if the hole emanated pure power. Then, small figures erupted from the hole, figuring in the thousands. They were unlike any creature Pit had seen before.

However, all those paled in comparison to when, out of the shadows of the dimensional tear, a large gargantuan figure appeared through it. A being that resembled an older man, but clearly wielded power above anything seen before.

"**You have performed your role well, Viridi." **

Everyone looked at Viridi, not having a clue what to think of it. Viridi was about half-way back to her normal humanoid form. She looked straight up at the being with a look of sorrow, and no one could have imagined what came out of her mouth next. A single word.

"…..Father…."

**(END)**

**At long last, the chapter I've been waiting to write ever since this story even started. Quite the reveal at the end huh?**

**Now, as I may have said in an earlier chapter, I currently have 2 male OC ideas from author writers. I'm planning on possibly introducing a group of three, consisting of these 2 and one more. So that said, if any of you want to come up with the last OC from you guys, feel free to let me know. Since the 2 I have so far are male, I would prefer the 3****rd**** member to be female, but I'll listen all the same. I'd like this little group to be about you guys. **

**Also, after quite a hiatus, we're finally back to character bios! This time, it's one of our new enemies; Eldran!**

*******Eldran*******

**Age: 18 in appearance**

**Appearance: Average male height, short silver hair with light blue eyes. Wears a mostly blue sturdy tunic with a light blue, long-sleeved shirt underneath. Wears blue pants and black boots.**

**Japanese seiyu: Junichi Suwabe**

**English VA: David Vincent**

**Bio: Eldran is Kronos' personal advisor and one of the Three Great Generals. He has a ruthless streak to match his master, and takes pleasure in toying with his enemies. He displays a demeanor of extreme cockiness, but his skills back up his talk.**

*******End bio*******

**Phew, well, another chapter done. The next chapter is the last one for Part 1. At last, the TRUE finale of Part 1: Rise of Kronos is upon us. Please review if it pleases you. Sentinel07, signing out!**


	22. Endgame 1 - Part 2: Beginning of the War

**Hello people! Sentinel07 here with our next Endgame chapter, and the last of Part 1: Rise of Kronos.**

**Thanks to all who keep reviewing. You all make it worth it to keep writing.**

_Italics means a character's personal thoughts._

**_Bold and italics refers to quotes using telepathy._**

**Oh, and just as a heads up, make sure you all take a look at the bottom author's note. Just to let you know.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Kid Icarus or any other referenced video game or anime.**

**Now, let's begin!**

**(BEGIN)**

**Endgame 1 - Part 1: Beginning of the War**

The silence that had come over everyone was deafening. No one expected what had come out of Viridi's mouth, or even expected this humongous figure to pop in out of a tear in the sky. Jaw wide open, Pit looked at Viridi.

"F-Father?! What do you mean by Father?!" he asked frantically, which came off as more humorous than anything else.

"It means exactly what it means. Did she mess up your ears during that fight? By the way, that fight was lovely. Very brutal." said a nearby voice.

Pit and the others turned their heads to right above Yggdrasill, seeing a young male hovering above. He appeared to be a young man, with silver hair and light blue eyes. His clothes were an assortment of blue and light blue, with black boots to complete his look. He sneered down at the group, as if finding something amusing.

"What do you mean by that? And just are you?" asked Dark Pit.

"Those who ask for names are often disappointed, but I suppose I can tell you." The man chuckled at the confused angel. "I am Eldran, one of the Three Great Generals, and personal advisor to Lord Kronos."

"_**Kronos?!" **_spouted Palutena.

"Ah, Lady Palutena. Good of you to join us." chuckled Eldran. "Yes, I believe you have met milord already, hanging in the sky above us."

Pit looked back up, seeing the great god looming through the dimensional tear. "I don't care what his name is. Tell me what you've done with Viridi, now!"

"Such vigor and fervor. Not bad." Eldran chuckled again before continuing, "That being said, why don't you ask her yourself? You know, while she's still hanging on to life?"

Pit gritted his teeth in anger at the gull of this man, but in spite of that, he looked back over at Viridi. She had just now fully shrunk down to her normal size, laying on the now flattened top of Yggdrasill. Her body was still somewhat entangled with the tree though, and she couldn't move. Switching back to the GST's portable mode, Pit flew past Eldran, landing next to Viridi and gently holding her up. Her energy was completely spent, and she looked like she was on her death bed.

"_**Lady Palutena, was I too late?!"**_ asked Pit, worried that he may not have separated her from Yggdrasill in time.

"I sense that her energy is almost completely gone, but I think you made it just in time." said Palutena.

"Phew." sighed Pit. After that though, he heard clapping, which was coming from Eldran.

"Yes yes, touching show." Eldran laughed at Pit and Viridi. Pit ignored him. He turned to Viridi, lightly moving a stray strand of hair from her face.

"Viridi…is that really true? What you said back there?" asked Pit. Despite Pit's hopes for something else, Viridi slowly nodded.

"Yes….Kronos is….my father." coughed Viridi, straining herself just to talk.

"Well, looks like daddy's little girl is a little winded. But I guess I can tell you the rest of the story. I'm sure milord wouldn't mind a little storytelling. Isn't that right, sir?" spoke Eldran, turning to Kronos in the sky. The lord of time nodded patiently.

"Will you just speed it up? This chapter isn't going to last forever you know?" groaned Dark Pit. Unlike Kronos, he was not one for patience. Eldran playfully put his hands up in surrender.

"Okay, fine fine. Now, where to begin? Oh yes." Eldran smiled again before continuing, "I suppose one way of starting is that you've all been duped."

"Where have I heard that before?" muttered Dark Pit to himself. Eldran didn't bother.

"As you may well know, Lord Kronos was one of the creators; the gods who built the foundation of the world you see now. Of course, after its completion, Zeus decided that the creators should have no further influence on the world and be sealed away into other worlds, allowing Earth to grow on its own. Most accepted this law, except for Lord Kronos of course." explained Eldran.

"Well that seems obvious, since he apparently was sealed away." stated Iris.

"That much is true." started Eldran again. "However, you see Lord Kronos has no need for…humans. Oh, Zeus adorned them so, thinking of them as the future, but Lord Kronos saw otherwise. Leaving the newly created world to a bunch of little fleshings? To hell with that!" shouted Eldran.

It was no real secret that Eldran shared the views of his master.

"And so, Lord Kronos hatched a plan; to one day return and build the perfect utopia, where only one thing is absolute; him." said Eldran.

"_**But how did you create that rift? That seal on the other worlds was supposed to be impregnable."**_ said Palutena.

"Ah, that's the good part. You see, Time and Nature are, in a sense, total opposites. Nature is the antithesis to Time. Lord Kronos had no intention of staying sealed away forever, so he discovered a way to break the seal. To break it, two conditions were needed." explained Eldran.

"Two?" asked Pit.

"The first condition; the world must be in such a state of chaos, in other words war, that it is practically imbued with the spirit of chaos." said Eldran before smirking again. "Which you provided very well; with the destruction caused by the Forces of Nature and your ensuing battles with them, especially today. Battling the goddess of nature fused with the great tree was a wonderful idea for war. Ha ha ha ha!"

Eldran laughed at the end, clearly enjoying this while the others waited there. Dark Pit was getting madder with every sentence. The only thing holding him back was his curiosity to hear the rest of the story. Pyrrha and Luna however had remained completely silent throughout this.

"Now, I'm sure you're all wondering, "What does Viridi have to do with this?" right? Well, that's where condition#2 comes in." said Eldran.

"And what's that?" asked Pit, still holding onto the barely breathing Viridi, who just watched, knowing what was coming.

"The second condition was that, when chaos was imbued with that land, one of his kin, who had the power of nature, the antithesis to time, act as the key that would ultimately break the seal. And voila, that just happened." Eldran laughed at the end, clearly enjoying toying with the group.

"That makes no sense." growled Prometheus. "How in the world could Kronos create someone kin to him who could control nature?"

"Simple; impregnate someone who could deliver such a child." Eldran sneered.

Almost everyone, from Pit to Palutena, gasped at that. Right after he said that, Palutena put two and two together.

"_**Wait, you don't mean….Mila?! That's why she died?!"**_ cried Palutena.

Eldran laughed again. "10 points for the goddess of light! Yes, that's exactly what happened. By using a sliver of his power, as well as making a few adjustments, Lord Kronos implanted the earth nymph, Mila, resulting in Viridi's birth. Of course, for such a child to be born a god, he had to…shall I say…put a little extra into it. Unfortunately for dear Mila, that little extra pretty much cost her her life."

Pit remembered what Palutena said months ago. About how she knew Mila as a child and that Mila had died giving birth to Viridi. Now that they knew why, the full force of the realization hit them like a ton of bricks.

"There was no escaping it. Viridi's fate was to be the key; the key that sets her father free." Eldran chuckled again, right before he grinned darkly. "But why am I telling you all this? You can just ask those two over there as well as the goddess of harvest. I'm sure they can fill in the rest.

"_**Eres?"**_ asked Palutena, who turned to face her. Eres looked like she was about to cry. Dark Pit and Prometheus turned to Pyrrha and Luna, who both had their heads hung down.

The full force of how Viridi came to be was too much for Pit as he clenched his free hand. So it was true his whole time. Viridi was never acting on free will. Eldran and his army had manipulated her to carry out this "destiny" of hers. Not much infuriated Pit more than when one of his friends was used as someone else's toy.

"Oh, I almost forgot." Eldran snapped his fingers. "I guess I can be a gentleman and fulfill my end of the bargain."

At once, the light blue glyphs disappeared from Viridi, Pyrrha, Luna, and Eres' necks, as well as Phosphora's shoulder.

"Wait, what were…." started Dark Pit.

However, right before he could finish, the world itself began to shake. What sounded like a bunch of earthquakes rattled the area, keeping everyone off balance. Eldran just hovered there, arrogantly smirking at them.

"All right, I've amused you with our story." he chuckled. "Now, it's time for business!"

At once, light blue energy erupted from the cracks in the Earth's crust, reaching towards the heavens. As the group looked down, they watched as white creatures began crawling out of the cracks, numbering in the thousands, if not more. Many were giant oni-like creatures, while some others were caped.

**(AN: Essentially, they look like the Silent Realm Warriors from Zelda: Skyward Sword)**

"Who are they?!" shouted Dark Pit.

"These are the Einherjar. Like them? They're a product that combines the best of the Forces of Nature and the Legion of Time. What did you think Viridi was doing all those months holed up in her Sanctuary?" chuckled Eldran.

"Eldran." spoke a new voice. "You talk too much."

Eldran sighed and turned behind him. "Well excuse me Amiti." he said with fake honesty.

Behind Eldran, two new figures had warped in. One was a man, a little older than Eldran, who wore clothing with accents of green and white. He wore a rather typical tunic and pants, somewhat similar to Eldran. The other was a girl, possibly around Pyrrha and Luna's age, who had auburn hair, wearing a purple and red top and skirt. She also had black leggings to go with her equally colored boots.

"You really should act your age Eldran." giggled the girl. Eldran sighed.

"Noire, you of all people shouldn't say that." he groaned. The bickering might have turned into an argument, had Kronos not stepped in.

"**Enough! There has been enough talking!"** bellowed Kronos. **"It is now time to tie up loose ends!"**

"Yes sir!" bowed the three warriors.

"_**Loose ends?! What do you mean?!"**_ asked Palutena. Kronos just smirked at the confused group. None of them understood what was coming.

"**A key that has served its purpose no longer has any use." **Kronos' staff began surging with blue and purple energy. **"And I can't allow the chance of me being sealed away again!"**

Right at that moment, Phosphora and the others, who had recovered enough to fly, flew towards them.

"CLEAR THE AREA! He's going to wipe you all out if you don't move!" Phosphora cried out, moving everyone back. Arlon warped over to where Pit was still holding the barely alive Viridi, still entangled in the tree.

"Young Master Pit, we must flee!" said Arlon, attempting to remove Pit from Viridi. However, Pit wouldn't leave.

"Arlon! How could you say that?! We can't leave her to die!" shouted Pit.

"As much as I regret to say it, there is no time to free her! Mistress Viridi sacrificed herself like this, forced herself to do those heinous acts, all for the sake of keeping you and everyone else alive!" said Arlon, perhaps the loudest he had ever sounded.

"But…!" Pit tried to respond. This was Viridi, someone he considered a good friend, who he believed was good before this even began.

However, Kronos wasn't waiting. **"STREAM OF TIME!"**

A surging blast of blue/purple energy began raining down to Yggdrasill. The column of magic was huge, easily large enough to encase most of Yggdrasill. Pit and Arlon looked up, afraid that they were too late.

However, Viridi had one last act left in her. Welling up what little power she had left, she focused it in her free right hand and shot it at Pit and Arlon. The shockwave of the blast pushed them a good distance away from Yggdrasill.

"Wait! VIRIDI!" cried Pit.

"Pit…" muttered Viridi. As Kronos' Stream of Time blast neared her, Viridi kept her right arm outstretched, as if trying to reach Pit's hand that was still directed at her.

**BOOM!**

And with that, the Stream of Time blast engulfed Yggdrasill.

From the time it hit, time seemed to flow slowly between Pit and Viridi, that that feeling you get during an unbelievable moment. Pit's face was full of shock; his right hand still outstretched, trying to reach Viridi. To him, it felt like she was right there in front of him.

"Pit…" Pit heard those last words come from her mouth. In his mind, he tried reaching forward, trying to grab her hand. But as he inched close enough to her hand, her body started dissolving into an array of cherry blossoms. As Pit watched on, he could faintly see a small smile on Viridi's face, just before she completely faded away.

The rest of the group was in horror at the brutality of what they saw. Even Prometheus was taken aback by the cruelty of the attack. A father killing his own daughter. Palutena and Eres could even see it in the distance from Skyworld, both in utter horror.

The blast eradicated most of Yggdrasill, as well as some of the surrounding area. The shockwave caused by the blast impacted everyone there, trying to withstand it. However, all Pit could do was look at the charred remains of Yggdrasill. He could spot the very cherry blossoms that used to be Viridi fall harmlessly to the ground. One of the petals flew over to him, landing in his outstretched right arm. Pit clenched his hand around the little petal, and the full weight of what happened landed on him.

He failed. He promised to bring Viridi back from whatever was harming her. And he failed. For the first time in his life, he had failed to protect someone. A lone tear fell down his right cheek.

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

Pit roared to the heavens, breaking out of Arlon's grip and changing the GST back to normal mode, rocketing past Eldran and the other generals. He didn't care about them now. There was only one target on his mind: Kronos!

"YOU MONSTERS!" Pit cried out as he rocketed towards the time god.

"You idiot! Don't go charging in like that!" shouted Dark Pit.

"Stupid kid will get himself killed." said Prometheus, flying towards where Pit was going. However, Eldran interrupted him.

"Why interrupt the little avenger?" smiled Eldran. "He seems quite determined."

"You bastards." spat Prometheus, lashing at Eldran with Helswath. Eldran casually grabbed Helswath with his hand.

"You know, as we told you before, you're kind of a pain." smirked Eldran, landing a punch squarely in Prometheus' chest. Gritting his teeth, Prometheus lashed back, attacking with his Death Scythe attack. However, Eldran sidestepped it, appearing behind Prometheus.

"What?"

"Too bad." smirked Eldran as he laid a chop on Prometheus' back, knocking him forward.

"Prometheus!" cried Pyrrha, who tried to land a sweeping kick behind Eldran. However, he ducked out of the way, turning around and landing his own kick on Pyrrha's chest.

"I think the lady needs a hard lesson in manners." Eldran sidestepped Pyrrha again, shifting behind her and grabbing her right arm, starting to pull it back. Try as she might, as Eldran pulled her arm back awkwardly, she couldn't pull her arm away. Prometheus, after getting his breath back, tried to charge back at Eldran. However, he couldn't stop Eldran from suddenly violently pulling Pyrrha's arm back.

**CRACK!**

"AHHHHHHHH!" Pyrrha screamed in pain as Eldran released her now-broken right arm, dodging another slash from Prometheus. Dark Pit on the other hand was trying to get his Dragoon to go faster as he tried to pursue the rage-blinded Pit.

"Pit! Are you listening?! PIT!" he yelled.

"_**Pit! You need to fall back! I know how you feel, but Viridi's sacrifice will mean nothing if you get yourself killed!"**_ urged Palutena.

However, for once in his life, Pit wasn't listening. Tears were falling from his eyes as he neared the dimensional rift.

"Shut up! He's going to pay!" Pit yelled as he aimed the GST's cannon at Kronos. However, the god of time and space seemed more amused than anything else.

"**You have strong willpower."** Kronos then raised his left hand, magic beginning to well up**. "However, you will need far more than that to stop me."**

"We'll see about that!" Pit locked on to Kronos and unleashed the GST's cannon, firing shot after shot at the overpowering god. However, not a single shot had any effect as Pit stopped the cannon. He lost track of how many shots he fired, and all of them were direct hits. Yet, Kronos remained unaffected.

"N-No way." muttered Pit as Kronos' magic continued to well up. Pit was now staring directly into the line of fire.

"**Temporal forces, unleash upon them the end of all things!"**

"PIT!" cried both Dark Pit and Palutena, but it was too late.

"**DECADENT OBLIVION!"**

Pit could only watch as Kronos' powerful magic descended upon him, way too fast for him to dodge. Pit's GST was soon completely engulfed by the dark magic.

Pit gritted his teeth as he tried to withstand the attack. However, it was no use. All round him, he could see the GST being torn apart around him. It was only a matter of time before it reached him. Pit struggled to remain conscious as he felt the evil magic impacting his body.

"Urgh…there must be…..some way…" he gritted out as he tried to remain upright.

He searched through all his options. He didn't have a chance of Palutena beaming him out like this, and his weapon was falling apart. He also used up most of the powers he brought along against Viridi. The situation looked pretty hopeless.

Bu then, just as Pit was about to give up, he remembered one of the few powers he had left. It was called Warp, a power he was given to use if he needed a quick warp to a nearby location. Pit wasn't sure if it would work like this, but he had no other choice. Clenching the flower petal still in his right hand, Pit tried to focus.

"Come on….work..." Pit grunted as his hand began to glow. However, the GST was falling apart around him, and the full force of the blast was just about to impact him. As Pit felt the Decadent Oblivion engulf him, Pit struggled to stay conscious. He looked one last time at his hand, failing to stay focused enough.

Pit tried to utter a word, but couldn't as the spell engulfed him. However, the last thing he saw before blacking out was that his body began to glow briefly.

**(LINE BREAK)**

Dark Pit watched as an explosion rocked the ground where the Decadent Oblivion spell hit. He couldn't see Pit at all through that blast. All he could do was watch in horror. Iris had flown over to see, her hands over her mouth, keeping her from screaming as her eyes teared up.

Finally, the spell subsided, and Dark Pit flew closer to the ground.

"Pit?! PIT?!" he called out. However, he gasped a bit as all he saw on the ground were charred remains of the GST.

"**Pit."** muttered Palutena in horror. There was no sight of the angel; no body or anything. The rest of the group was equally surprised.

"Well, that's too bad. I wouldn't have minded a match with him." smirked Eldran.

"Eldran, that's enough." muttered Amiti before he turned to Kronos. "Lord Kronos, I believe we have made our mark for today."

"**So it seems. Very well, fall back for now. We shall plan the next phase."** said Kronos before smirking at the battered group.** "Preserve what time you have left, because time isn't your side now."**

With that, Eldran, the other generals, and the Legion of Time troops flew back into the dimensional tear. Before that, Eldran had one last set of words for Palutena and the others.

"THE GREAT WAR HAS BEGUN!" was his last words before Kronos' army vanished from view, undoubtedly preparing for the next phase, now that the seal had been broken.

As the group landed on the ground, with Prometheus holding up a battered Luna, and Pyrrha holding her broken arm. Iris had fallen the ground, her hands over her eyes as she cried. Palutena couldn't sense Pit's presence, despite the fact that Dark Pit was still very much alive. However, the facts spoke for themselves:

Viridi, the goddess of nature, was dead.

Pit, the champion of Palutena's Army, was nowhere to be found.

And a great war was soon dawning upon Angel Land.

**(END)**

…**..Well…that's that. Probably not what you people expected, but it was planned to be like this. Of course, I've gotten some worries about what might be happening next, and I say to them, don't worry. Part 1 may end on a depressing note, but that will make the comeback all the sweeter. And we also now know this story's namesake. **

**Now, just a few notes about some inspiration I got.**

**1. The relationship between Viridi and Kronos was mostly inspired by Raven and Trigon from Teen Titans. As any of you who have seen that show know, Raven was Trigon's daughter and, similarly to Viridi, ultimately used as the key for bringing him back. **

**2. The fact that Luna is sensitive to strong feelings of chaos and nearly passed out is a reference to the Heron tribe from Fire Emblem: Radiant Dawn, who also passed out when in the presence of overwhelming chaos.**

**3. The fact that Viridi dissolved into cherry blossoms as she was killed was inspired by the symbolism behind them, or at least what I've read about. Supposedly, in Japan, cherry blossoms are sometimes associated with death, so I thought it would be poetic. Wait, am I making death poetic? I must be losing it.**

**Anyway, time for another character bio. This time, it's our new big baddy himself: Kronos!**

*******Kronos*******

**Age: Appears as a man in his 60's or so.**

**Appearance: Appears as an elderly man, but quite fit for one. Skin is dark blue and his clothing is an assortment of black, blue, white, and such. Kind of hard to describe. It's supposed to be really detailed like Hades.**

**Japanese seiyu: ****Banjō Ginga**

**English VA: Michael McConnohie**

**Bio: The almighty god of time and space that helped create the world. However, Kronos believes in only one thing; his power. Feeling that humans as well as any joys of life are meaningless, he finally executes his plan to take over Angel Land, building the utopia he desired. Long ago, he used a sliver of his power to impregnate Mila, the earth nymph, resulting in the birth of Viridi.**

*******End bio*******

**Whew, hard to believe that Part 1 is actually completed after all this time. Now, I have more to say.**

**Before we get on to Part 2, we will be having about 3-4 Paralogue chapters. These are essentially midquel chapters that will briefly focus on the other characters as the war begins. Part 2 will pick us up back with Pit. Surely, he won't be indisposed for long. Also, these chapters will fully reveal some of the behind-the-scenes events that happened during Part 1, such as with Eres, Pyrrha, and Luna. Also got some surprises in store too. **

**Well, that's all I can think off. I hope you all enjoyed Part 1: Rise of Kronos, and stay stunned for when the story continues, which hopefully should be pretty soon. Review please!**

**Sentinel07, signing out!**


	23. Paralogue 1: Reflections of the Past

**Hello people! Sentinel07 here with the first Paralogue chapter.**

**Thanks to everyone who enjoyed the last chapter. I'm glad that it was well-received.**

_Italics means a character's personal thoughts._

**_Bold and italics refers to quotes using telepathy._**

**Make sure you keep reading those AN's at the bottom for anything that might be upcoming.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Kid Icarus or any other referenced video game or anime.**

**Now, let's begin!**

**(BEGIN)**

**Paralogue: Reflections of the Past**

Eres, Arlon, Phosphora, Pyrrha, and Luna were gathered together in Palutena's Temple. They all had so much on their minds, not much of it good.

*****BEGIN FLASHBACKS*****

_Right before the story began_

"Viridi? Viridi, are you around?" Eres opened the door to the Overworld Sanctuary, hoping to have a good chat with the one she essentially raised. She had noticed that Viridi had been acting a bit odd as of late, and had shut herself off from the world for the past few days. Naturally, she decided to investigate herself. However, as she walked in, she felt something…strange in the air.

"What is this feeling in the air? Wait, could it be…..?!" There was no mistaking that familiar sense of magic in the air, even after many years. It was one that Eres would never forget.

"Oh no! Viridi!" she called out again. However, right as she did, she felt herself pinned down against the ground in pain.

"AHHHH!" she screamed as she saw a white beast pin her. She immediately knew what it was. Something that was supposed to be in another world.

"Ah, the goddess of harvest. Pleasure that you could join us." spoke a rather snarky voice. Eres looked up and saw a man with white hair approach her. Looking behind him, she could see Viridi, some fear in her eyes.

"Where are my manners?" spoke the man with a rather fake tone. "I am Eldran, a general in service of Lord Kronos. But you already know that don't you?"

Eres gritted her teeth at the white-glad general. "You're not supposed to be here. You and your master were sealed into another dimension along with the other creators."

"Well, that was Zeus' intention, no doubt. And make no mistake, Lord Kronos remains behind the seal. But, as we both know, there is a way to break it…." Eldran trailed off, laughing to himself. Eres gasped as she knew what he was referring to. What she had feared since Viridi's birth was coming to pass. There was no time to waste. She had to warn Palutena if she could.

"Oh, and don't think of telling the goddess of light. Otherwise…." Eldran walked over and ran his finger sharply around Eres' neck. Eres cried out in pain as Eldran's magic coursed through the circle he drew, forming a glyph around her neck.

"This little beauty should keep your mouth shut. If you so much as try to warn Palutena, well that pretty neck of yours goes bye bye." chuckled Eldran, who then laughed out loud. Eres hung her head down, briefly looking at Viridi, seeing something similar around her neck.

There was no escaping it. They were both trapped now.

_After Viridi returned from seeing Pit in the flower field the first time_

"Having a nice chat?"

Viridi and Phosphora turned to see Eldran approaching from behind a curtain.

"I don't need you butting into my business all the time." spat Viridi, which made Eldran chuckle.

"Well, no matter. You've activated three of the sacred areas, correct? Just one more and then we can cause the Great War." chuckled Eldran.

"Whatever," Viridi spat out at him. "You will take the glyphs off of everyone when it's done?"

"Of course. I'm a man of my word after all." chuckled Eldran. Viridi didn't have much confidence in those words, but she had no other choice right now. As Viridi walked towards her room, Phosphora growled at Eldran.

"I swear, you will pay for doing this." she gritted her teeth at him.

"Me? I'm simply doing that fate already had in store. Your goddess was, quite literally, born for this role. You should be thankful to her. Her obedience is keeping you alive." he snickered.

"Eldran, we need not antagonize them anymore." spoke Amiti, who emerged out of space-time.

"Fine, whatever." shrugged Eldran. "I'm going to head back to the Realm of Oblivion and report to Lord Kronos. Maybe mess around with Noire too."

"Eldran, Noire is an ally." spoke Amiti. Eldran shrugged again before leaving through space-time and back to the Realm of Oblivion.

_Before Viridi's attack_

"Viridi, I believe it's time to begin the next phase." spoke Eldran as Viridi walked back into the central hall.

"Why now? I'm sure things could use more prepar…." Viridi started before Eldran's hand soon wrapped around her neck.

"You've been trying to stall for quite a while now. Even Lord Kronos can get impatient." growled Eldran, slowly lifting Viridi up by her neck. Viridi struggled for air a bit before he finally let her go, letting Viridi fall to the ground as she coughed for air.

"Now, do as we say and begin the attack." glared Eldran.

"I don't think so." spoke another voice. Eldran turned around to see two figures at the doorway to the hall; Pyrrha and Luna.

"Well, Prometheus' sister and the goddess of the moon. Didn't think I'd see you here, especially by yourselves." smirked Eldran.

"Smirk while you can. I'll be wiping it off soon enough." smirked Pyrrha as she cracked her knuckles. "We're not going to let you bring your god back."

"So, you know of the plan. That's funny. If you knew, perhaps you should have warned Palutena and her forces. Oh well, your fault." smirked Eldran who snapped his fingers. Instantly, Legion of Time forces wisped into existence a round Pyrrha and Luna.

"Don't worry. I won't kill you. You'll make fine prisoners. TAKE THEM!" At Eldran's command, the animal-like Time soldiers attacked Pyrrha and Luna. The two girls were heavily outnumbers. Pyrrha was barely able to slay 2 of them before they had her pinned down. Luna didn't last much longer as the animals took away her parasol and pinned her against the wall.

"Take them to the dungeons down below. Perhaps I'll pay a visit later. Ha ha ha ha!" laughed Eldran as the two girls were taken away.

"Crud….didn't think it would end like this…." spat Pyrrha as she fought to stay conscious. Luna was knocked out after taking a blow to the head.

*****END FLASHBACKS*****

Palutena leaned over, her elbows sitting on the table. It took everything she could to keep herself composed. Everything had changed, pretty much in an instant. The only thing that kept Palutena from going crazy was the fact that Dark Pit was still alive, which meant that Pit had to be alive as well. Still, she couldn't sense his presence.

"Why can't you sense him?" asked Dark Pit.

"Maybe he's unconscious or something. I honestly don't know." sighed Palutena. She had never felt this useless. Her being the knowledgeable goddess of light was her biggest redeeming feature, since she never took part in fighting.

"Well, that's just great. So now what?" asked Dark Pit.

"That's the question of the day. We need to find Pit, but we also have to deal with Kronos until then. There may be too much for us to handle alone." said Palutena. Despite saying that though, she had an idea.

"Dark Pit." Dark Pit perked up, surprised that she actually called him by his name. "I know you of all people don't like taking orders, but this is a really dire time. I'd like to ask if you fill in for Pit."

"What?" asked Dark Pit, nearly stumbling out of his chair as he heard that.

"Dark Pit, I'd like to ask you to be the captain of my guard, at least until Pit comes back." said Palutena. "Please?"

Dark Pit was surprised to hear that, although he could understand the logic. As much as he hated being compared to Pit, it was only natural for him to do it. Pit was part of what kept Palutena's Army in line, and Dark Pit was likely the only one who could command as much authority as he did.

"All right fine. I'll do it." he sighed. He honestly still didn't really like it, but at least it gave him something to do. Besides, this meant that he would likely get to use the Power of Flight for a while, instead of constantly having to ride the Dragoon.

"Thank you so much Dark Pit." smiled Palutena. Dark Pit blushed a tiny bit at the compliment and promptly turned his head away.

"Well, whatever. Someone has to keep your army in line." he shrugged as he got up from his seat. "If I'm captain, then I'm going to go take a look at the Centurions right now."

"Okay." With that, Dark Pit walked off, feeling like the conversation was over for now. After he left, Palutena turned to the others. Iris hadn't spoken much since they returned, as she seemed to be in deep thought. She seemed to be a lot more assured after Palutena told her that Dark Pit's survival meant that Pit was still alive. The others were thinking about how things came to this.

"So, do you have anything else to say?" asked Palutena. After they had returned, they had all explained what had happened to them over the years, as mentioned in the flashbacks. Needless to say though, Palutena wasn't too pleased with Pyrrha and Luna.

"I still can't believe that you thought you could go against them on your own." sighed Palutena. "You're lucky that Eldran decided to just imprison you. He could have outright killed you."

"We…we know." spoke Luna. "It's just that we're not really used to relying on others. In the past, we were always able of handling things ourselves." she continued in total regret.

"Lady Palutena," Arlon finally spoke up. "No amount of words could express our regret for the trouble we've caused you." he continued with a bow.

"It's alright Arlon." smiled Palutena. "You had no other choice. I understand that. The past is past now. We have to think about the future now."

"Not going to be easy. Controlling the future is exactly what Kronos is good at." moaned Pyrrha. Palutena sighed. This was going to be hard for sure. However, right as she thought that, Iris slammed her hands on the table.

"All right, I've made a decision!" she yelled out forcefully. "I'm going back to the Underworld and getting reinforcements!"

"That's nice of you Iris, but Underworld troops might not be effective against Kronos." said Palutena.

"Who said anything about normal Underworld troops?" smirked Iris. "I have a secret weapon."

"What secret weapon?" asked Luna.

"You'll find out." smiled Iris as she opened a portal for herself. "See you in a bit."

With that, she ran through the portal, leaving behind a very confused bunch of gods and other such people.

"What is she talking about?" asked Phosphora.

"I have no idea." said Palutena. After she said that, she walked over to Eres, who was sitting by herself.

"Eres come on and join us. It's no good to be by yourself." said Palutena to her old friend.

"Why? It's my fault. I….I knew the whole time. I knew who Viridi's father was from the beginning, and yet I didn't do anything about it." cried Eres. Palutena continued to console her friend.

"So, now everyone knew who Viridi's father was?" asked Palutena.

"No. You were just a kid at the time. Only myself and a few others knew the truth. You see, Kronos was very ingenious with his plan. As you can probably tell, Viridi is an exact likeness of her mother; in both appearance and abilities. She possesses none of Kronos' abilities, and that's why not many others saw the relation. However, the gods at the time decided to swear that no one reveal the secret. As long as Viridi didn't know who her dad was, she wouldn't be forced to break the seal." explained Eres.

"I see. So Viridi didn't know either?" asked Palutena.

"No. Everything had worked out as they had hoped long ago. Viridi had no idea who Kronos was. The plan went perfectly, until those warriors…Eldran….somehow broke through the seal and approached Viridi. I imagine they told her, and since then she was haunted by nightmares of Kronos. If Eldran had never approached her, this never would have happened."

"So that's how it is?" pondered Palutena. This was a lot of information to process.

**(LINE BREAK)**

Back in the Realm of Oblivion, things continued to flow normally, as preparations were made to attack specific targets on Earth. Amiti was going back and forth with Temporian scientists, devising the best kind of attack. It wouldn't be long now. Eldran chuckled as he watched the work being done. He and the other Great Generals had their own Monolith; which were all just waiting to be unleashed. Eldran smiled as he looked at a video of his own Monolith: Tiamat.

"I can't wait to unleash Tiamat upon those humans." he chuckled to himself, like a child with a new story. Standing next to him, Noire fumbled with her fingers around her bow.

"Um….yes, I'm sure…." she spoke softly, as if not knowing what to say. Eldran turned his head and glared at her.

"What? You think yours is better?" he asked sternly, catching Noire a bit off-guard.

"Oh no….I didn't mean that…" she spoke again, a bit more emotionlessly this time. However, Eldran didn't like the tone, growling as he grabbed Noire by the neck, forcing her against the wall.

"Don't give me that tone. You have no right." he growled.

"I….can't breathe…." Noire struggled, fear evident in her eyes.

"Don't think you're better than us just because you're "special". You keep this up and I'll put you back in the experimentation room!" he growled louder, causing Noire to gasp a bit.

"No, please…I-I don't want to g-go there again." she stumbled over her words a bit, which if anything seemed to make Eldran even madder.

"Better clean up your act, before we decide to take that meek side of you away forever!" he spat as he released her, causing her to collapse to the ground, coughing. Eldran walked away in anger as Noire tried to collect herself.

**(LINE BREAK)**

After inspecting the Centurions a bit, Dark Pit walked outside to get some air. It felt heavier since the day they fought Viridi. Prometheus was outside as well, touring Skyworld.

"So, you're taking Pit's place? Didn't think you'd take it up." smirked Prometheus. Dark Pit sighed.

"Well, someone has to I guess. Palutena hasn't had to take up personal command in quite some time. Pit made it easier." said Dark Pit.

"Whatever." said Prometheus. "Still, this battle looks pretty uphill huh? They've got far superior numbers on their side, and Eldran even took me out."

"Wow, you being pessimistic? That's a first." smirked Dark Pit, getting a glare from Prometheus.

"Still, I hate to admit it, but it's going to take a miracle to get out of this." spoke Dark Pit.

**BOOM!**

Right as he said the word "miracle", a giant fireball impacted the ground right in front of Dark Pit and Prometheus. After picking himself up from the impact, Dark Pit saw that it looked like a mini-comet, except that it looked….humanoid.

"Did someone call for a miracle?! Well, the miracle has answered!"

"_Wait, I've heard that voice before…..oh no…."_ Dark Pit shielded his eyes and looked closer at the fireball, seeing a humanoid shape. It looked like a man, literally made of flames.

A very familiar man.

"PYRRHON?!"

**(LINE BREAK)**

After returning to the Underworld, and making sure Thanatos and Pandora weren't slacking off, Iris walked down from her sanctuary, heading into the dungeons. Where she was going to was where she kept any special cases, as to keep them out of trouble. However, she needed the help of one of them; one that was there before she came to power.

She soon reached the door that lead to that person's room.

"Oh, you're finally back. I was starting to get bored." the figure smirked from the other side. Iris grumbled and opened the door, leading into a dark room. The room was split in half, half of it behind a cage capable of holding a deity if needed. It held one such deity right now.

"Was the food good?" smirked Iris.

"Still as much a smart-aleck as the last time." the figure chuckled. "Still, it wasn't bad. One request; don't cook the meat so much next time. I like my steak rare."

"Very funny. I'm surprised that you even have a sense of humor." said Iris.

"What else I am to do while in here? You seem to have really taken to what used to be my position." chuckled the figure.

"What's past is past. Only the present matters. Speaking of which, the world as we know it is about to be invaded by Kronos. But you probably already figured that out." deadpanned Iris.

"Ah, so it was Kronos. I thought it felt familiar." spoke the figure. "So what does this have to do with me?"

After that, the figure slowly walked out of the shadows, revealing a pale-skinned woman wearing a purple outfit. Her most distinguishable feature was the snakes in her hair.

"I need your help Medusa."

**(END)**

**And, here we are, the first Paralogue. Probably going to be 2-3 more, and then we'll be heading into Part 2. A lot of new questions here, huh?**

**Why does Eldran despise Noire?**

**What is Pyrrhon doing here?**

**And what is Iris planning with bringing in Medusa?**

**All these answers and more coming up!**

**Anyway, time for more character bios. This time, we feature Amiti, the 2****nd**** Great General:**

*******Amiti*******

**Age: Appears to be around 25**

**Appearance: Short dark hair, average height for his age. Wears a tunic and pants that has accents of white and green. He also wears glasses.**

**Japanese seiyu: Gunpei Yoko**

**English VA: Kirk Thornton**

**Bio: Amiti is another one of the Great Generals, alongside Eldran and Noire. He is very tactical and often thinking ahead. He keeps a level head the best out of all the generals. However, he has a tendency to snap when in the heat of battle. He commands the Phantom Monolith: Ultima.**

**Inspiration: Mostly inspired by Sai'x (Kingdom Hearts)**

*******End bio*******

**Well, that's all I've got for you now. Stay tuned for more as we try to get through these Paralogues and back to our main story.**

**Sentinel07, out!**


	24. Paralogue 2: Will We Ever Reconcile?

**Hello people! Sentinel07 here with the second Paralogue chapter.**

**Thanks to everyone who enjoyed the last chapter. I'm glad that it was well-received. I'd also like to mention that this story has now exceeded 5000 views since it began. I'd like to thank everyone for that. :)  
**

_Italics means a character's personal thoughts._

**_Bold and italics refers to quotes using telepathy._**

**Make sure you keep reading those AN's at the bottom for anything that might be upcoming.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Kid Icarus or any other referenced video game or anime.**

**Now, let's begin!**

**(BEGIN)**

**Paralogue 2: Will We Ever Reconcile? **

"Really? You're asking me to help you? I thought that when you imprisoned me, you would rather die again then accept help from me." smirked Medusa.

"Circumstances have changed. Palutena needs all the help she can get. Kronos defeated Pit, so we need as many allies as possible." said Iris. That last bit caught Medusa's attention and she stared at Iris.

"Pit, he was defeated? By Kronos?" she asked. Iris nodded.

"That's right. Kronos killed Viridi, the goddess of nature, and Pit tried to avenge her, but Kronos blew the Great Sacred Treasure to bits." explained Iris, trying to contain her emotions as she talked. Medusa closed her eyes as she processed the information.

"Interesting. Guess it's to be expected from one of the creator gods." pondered Medusa before nodding to herself. "All right, you have a deal. I presume that I'll be free of course?"

"As long as you don't do anything funny." glared Iris. Medusa laughed at her.

"Please, I'm not stupid enough to attempt something like that by myself. Unlike a certain angel, I don't pick fights I can't win." smirked Medusa.

"That's funny. Last I checked, you fought Pit twice, and lost." smirked Iris right back at her. Medusa's snakes hissed at Iris's statement.

"Just open the door." Medusa deadpanned. Iris nodded and produced a key, opening Medusa's cell door. She stretched as she got out, finally having room to get some real exercise. The prospect of challenging someone as strong as Kronos sounded intriguing. Besides, Medusa could hardly pass up a chance to show up Palutena. The two of them walked together out of the dungeons. Iris reached the top first, where Thanatos and Pandora were waiting.

"Lady Iris, what were you doing down there?" asked Pandora.

"Talking with the prisoner." said Iris.

"Who is the prisoner anyway? You never told us or allowed us to look for ourselves." said Thanatos.

"Oh, don't worry about that. Here she comes now." smiled Iris who stood aside as Medusa finally took a step out of the dungeons for the first time in years, seeing Pandora and Thanatos in front of her.

"Hello. I'm back." smirked Medusa.

"AHHHHHHHHH! MEDUSA!" Both Pandora and Thanatos shrieked as Thanatos jumped into Pandora's arms, her legs getting them as far away as possible as they ran Scooby-Doo style.

**(LINE BREAK)**

"Pyrrhon?" asked Prometheus at Dark Pit, who was shocked to see the sun god standing in front of him. Pyrrhon scratched his head in confusion though.

"Sorry little black angel, but Pyrrhon is drawing a blank. Who are you? You look familiar." said Pyrrhon.

"I'm Dark Pit. I'm Pit's "twin" so to speak." sighed Dark Pit. Pyrrhon smiled as he heard the words.

"Ah Pit, I remember him! How's the little dude hanging these days?!" said Pyrrhon as if feeling prideful about it.

"Oh boy, he's got a lot to learn." smirked Prometheus. However, before anyone else could speak up, Dark Pit felt another presence approaching them.

"Are you kidding?! Someone else?!" said Dark Pit as he looked up, seeing something blue heading their way. He braced himself as the blue object surged towards them. Thankfully though, this new being made a more graceful landing than Pyrrhon. After reeling a bit from the impact, Dark Pit could see that this being was surrounded by electricity, reminding him of Phosphora a bit. However, this figure was very much a male.

"Dang it Pyrrhon! I told you to slow down! Just because you got through the asteroid field faster doesn't give you the right to show off!" yelled the figure as the electricity died down, revealing a man who appeared to be a young teenager, perhaps 16 years old or so in appearance.

"Another one? Oh brother." sighed Dark Pit. "Hey, why don't both of you just explain yourselves to Palutena? I'm getting a headache just from watching you."

_A few minutes later, in Palutena's Temple_

"PYRRHON?!" shouted Palutena as she witnessed her new guests inside her temple. Pyrrhon looked straight at Palutena, rubbing his head sheepishly.

"Oh, uh, hey Palutena! Long time no see, eh? Ha ha ha ha!" laughed Pyrrhon, although it didn't sound confident. Pyrrha and the others were confused as to who this guy was, as was his partner. However, they soon got a rather amusing sight. Palutena walked right up to Pyrrhon, quickly grabbing his ear painfully.

"Ow Ow Ow Ow! That hurts Pyrrhon!" Pyrrhon groaned as Palutena pulled him down a bit.

"It should hurt! What are you doing here?! Surely you haven't forgotten when you nearly got us all killed?!" glared Palutena straight at Pyrrhon.

If looks could kill, Pyrrhon would be deep in the Underworld right now. Pyrrhon gave a hollow laugh at Palutena.

"Well, uh, you see, that is, Pyrrhon has a tendency to go loopy at times so….OW!" Pyrrhon groaned as Palutena grabbed his ear harder.

"How can she hold his ear without hurting herself?" asked Prometheus.

"I don't know. Goddess of light powers perhaps?" suggested Dark Pit. Anyway, the other guest was amused by this, but decided to intervene.

"All right, that's enough." The man walked over and separated Palutena and Pyrrhon. "I'm sure you have your grievances with Pyrrhon, and they are certainly well-deserved. However, we do have a war on our hands." said the man.

Palutena sighed. "Yes, you're right." Pyrrhon limped away, holding his sore ear and mumbled something incoherently to himself.

"So who the hell are you?" asked Prometheus. The man seemed to take no offense and bowed honorably to Palutena.

"My name is Akihisa Thorson, son of Thor. I have traveled from Asgard to assist you." said Akihisa. Palutena was shocked to hear the name Thor. It was one she hadn't heard in a very long time.

"You're…Thor's son?" asked Palutena. Akihisa straightened himself after that.

"Yes, although I prefer to be called….." started Akihisa before a new presence joined them.

"AKI!" Phosphora has entered the room, screaming Aki's name and running over, embracing him in a tight hug. Aki was a bit stunned but returned the hug. Everyone was so confused.

"Phosphora, it's been a long time. I see my cousin is as energetic as ever." he smiled.

"COUSIN?!" yelled everyone in the room.

"You're from Asgard?!" asked Palutena. Phosphora sheepishly grinned.

"Heh heh, yes I am. I haven't been there in years though." she said.

"Phosphora and I grew up together. Then one day, she left to join the Forces of Nature. It was quite sudden too." said Aki.

"Hey, it was time for a change of scenery." defended Phosphora.

"Yeah, but things got super boring for me. You know how hard Dad pushed me after you left? HARD! I swear that I still have some broken bones somewhere from his training sessions." groaned Aki. Everyone didn't really know what to think of the lightning duo.

"What's going on?" Everyone turned to see a dark portal forming, with Iris emerging out of it.

"Oh Iris, did you find someone?" asked Palutena. Iris smiled.

"You bet. Here she is now." said Iris as she stood aside. However, the mood in the room took on a whole new feeling as Medusa stepped out of the portal.

"Ah, my first steps in Skyworld in 30 years." she chuckled. However, everyone went on guard at that moment, especially Palutena and Dark Pit.

"What is she doing here?! She's supposed to be dead!" yelled Dark Pit. Medusa chuckled.

"Really Dark Pit? Of all people, you ask how I'm alive. It's not the first time after all." said Medusa, her smirk not leaving her face. Dark Pit groaned at them.

"Iris was this who you meant?" asked Palutena, surprisingly calm despite seeing the goddess of darkness standing in her temple.

"Yes. I know it's a bit of a shock, but don't worry. You all know how strong she is, and she won't do anything funny. After all, I kept her under lock and key for 2 years." smiled Iris.

"Really?" asked Dark Pit.

"Yes, as much as I hate to admit it, this former human actually bested me. It was…kind of impressive to some extent." shrugged Medusa. Palutena lowered her staff, walking right up to Medusa.

"You know what's happened?" she asked.

"Iris explained everything. You're fighting Kronos and little Pit is nowhere to be found, correct? said Medusa, getting a nod from Palutena. "Well, I've got nothing better to do. I guess the world won't be as fun if Kronos destroys it."

Everyone wasn't sure what to make of this. However, Iris then noticed Pyrrhon.

"Who's he?" asked Iris, pointing at the sun god.

"Me? I'm the one and only…" Pyrrhon started to give a dramatic introduction.

"…flaming idiot who nearly killed Pit and everyone else." finished Dark Pit, making Pyrrhon groan that he didn't get to finish. However, Iris tensed up at the words "nearly killed Pit" before her face contorted in anger.

"He did what?!" she yelled as she lunged at Pyrrhon, tackling him into the ground and smacking his head repeatedly against the floor. It was both painful and amusing to see the little fell warrior lay a smackdown on the sun god.

"Iris! That's enough!" screamed Luna, wanting the fighting to stop. Iris stopped, holding her fist inches away from Pyrrhon's face. She stared at Luna, sighing before getting up. Luna walked over and began some basic first aid on Pyrrhon's face.

"You never could resist your ego." spoke Luna. Pyrrhon took a look at her and actually gasped a bit.

"L-Luna? Is that really you? I haven't seen you since…." he started.

"Since I ran away? Yes." finished Luna. "Even back at the Celestial Court, you were always showing off. As your cousin, I wasn't sure whether to be proud or mortified."

"Heh heh, well Pyrrhon doesn't handle normal well." he chuckled.

"Now that I agree with." smiled Luna. However, everyone caught on her "cousin" comment.

"Wait, you two are related too?" asked Dark Pit.

"That's correct. He's my cousin. You don't need another backstory. This chapter is already full of them." said Luna.

"That it is." agreed Aki. "I found Pyrrhon floating adrift at the edge of space. I know that he has wronged you in the past, and he has much to answer for. However, with Kronos on the rise, everyone must pool their strength for us to succeed."

"I agree." smiled Palutena.

Right after she said that, an alarm went off in the temple. Gasping, Palutena took a look in her reflecting pool and looked down. Legion of Time forces were beginning to attack!

"Looks like our first real battle is here!" said Dark Pit as he quipped his Silver Bow.

"But there are so many! The Legion of Time forces are stronger than your average forces. We can't send just one person to each site!" said Palutena. She had to think this through carefully. How could she divide everyone up? Just then, an idea came to her. A risky one, but a plan none the less.

"All right, here's the plan. Eres and Pyrrha will stay here because they can't fight right now. Dark Pit, you and Prometheus head to this site." ordered Palutena.

"No problem." smirked Dark Pit. Prometheus scoffed at the idea of teaming up again, but he had no choice.

"Luna, you go with Pyrrhon and Iris to this site. I'm sure you can watch him?" asked Palutena.

"Of course ma'am!" saluted Luna.

"No worries milady. Pyrrhon never backs down!" Pyrrhon spoke as he regained his former vigor.

"He better. I'm still not done with him." groaned Iris, still fuming, which honestly intimidated Pyrrhon a little bit.

"Finally, Phosphora, Arlon, and Aki should go to this remaining site. You clear?" said Palutena.

"You got it!" said Phosphora while giving a thumbs up. Any chance to lay a hurting on the monsters that killed Viridi sounded good to her.

"Very well. I'm curious to see the power of the Legion of Time for my own." smiled Aki, producing a hammer out of lightning.

"Alright, everyone understands?!" Palutena looked around and saw them gearing up. "All right, then move out! Dark Pit, I'll send you a Dragoon!"

Dark Pit nodded as they all began to scatter. Whatever the Legion of Time was doing, they weren't going to let it happen on their watch. However, once everyone had left, Medusa walked up to Palutena, who was readying her staff.

"Palutena, there were four locations." Medusa pointed out. "Are you implying that….?"

"Yes, I'm going to the fourth site myself. I'm not sitting this one out." said Palutena, her staff and shield all ready to go. "I'm not going to let what happened to Pit happen to anyone else. It's time I carried my weight for once."

Medusa was honestly surprised. She figured that Palutena was satisfied with her "mission control" status. It wasn't often that Palutena was willing to go into battle herself. None the less, she chuckled.

"How amusing. I do believe I'll join you." smirked Medusa, her own staff materializing in her left hand. Palutena stopped and turned around in slight surprise.

"Really?" she asked.

"Well of course. I've had nothing to do for 2 years. I need to get back into shape, and what better way than to trash an army or two." chuckled Medusa. To her surprise though, Palutena giggled a bit.

"Fair enough. All right, let's go!"

**(LINE BREAK)**

Palutena and Medusa beamed down on the outskirts of a human city. The gates had been closed when they noticed the impending monsters. Medusa scoffed at them.

"Like a little gate is going to help." she sighed.

"No time for that Medusa. Here they come." said Palutena, as serious as she had ever been in her long life. Medusa looked at her and chuckled, readying herself as the animal-like Time forces began to approach them. Medusa grinned as she felt her magic flow through her.

"How about I start things off? GORGON EYE!" Energy blasts shot of Medusa's eyes, the same attack she once used against Pit. The blasts converged on the Time soldiers, impacting a few of them as the undamaged ones continued charging.

"Light Pillar!" Palutena cried out as she summoned a pillar of blue and white light, impacting more Legion of Time soldiers. Of course, more survived and approached the two goddesses. A wolf-like creature attacked Medusa, who blocked it with her staff.

"Ugh, tenacious little bugs!" cried Medusa as she shook the beast off. Now it was quickly becoming a melee battle between them and the Time soldiers. Palutena blocked two soldiers who came after her, knocking them away with her staff. Medusa grabbed one bird-like creature that lunged at her, crushing it in the dark energy of her hand.

"Medusa, behind you!" Palutena called out to her as one creature lunged at Medusa from behind. She thrusted her staff behind her, blocking the creature before she blasted it away with dark energy.

"Keep your advice to yourself and your eyes front!" spouted Medusa. Palutena smiled and shook her head as she directed a light blast at another creature.

"You're as direct as ever, sister." spoke Palutena who blasted away some more creatures. Medusa missed a step briefly when she heard that, lightly laughing to herself as she slashed at more soldiers.

"How long has it been since you last called me sister? I had almost forgotten." said Medusa.

"As if I could ever forget." said Palutena who directed another Light Pillar at the creatures. "Even when you vowed revenge against me so long ago, I never forgot."

"Hmph." huffed Medusa as she attacked another creature. "Toxic Cloud!" she called out as the mouth in her right hand unleashed a poisonous cloud at the creatures

"Shining Orbs!" Giant orbs of light appeared above Palutena, to which she directed at the creatures. Most of them were hit, although one struck at her, grazing her left arm. Palutena winced as she was struck. Medusa turned to see Palutena getting struck, which opened up another creature to slam her in the back, forcing her to the ground.

"Dang it!" spat Medusa as she staggered to her feet, her magic beginning to well up. "Oh hellion whose roar chills the very soul, resound! BLOODY HOWLING!"

Dark flames erupted around a group of Time soldiers, engulfing them as the dark energy burned them. After firing another Light Pillar at the monsters, Palutena staggered over to Medusa.

"They just keep coming. I think we should use "that" technique." suggested Palutena. Medusa raised an eyebrow at her.

"Really? It's been over 30 years since we last did it though." said Medusa.

"I don't care. You in or not?" glared Palutena. Medusa just smirked at her.

"Sure, whatever. I'm getting annoyed by these things anyway." said Medusa.

With that, the two goddesses jumped back, getting themselves some distance and switched their staves to their opposite hands. With that, Palutena reached her right hand forward, with Medusa doing the same with her left.

"Bursts of light converge and form your almighty sun!"

"Abyssal darkness, form a torrential rift and engulf my enemies!"

As the remaining creatures began to converge again, the light and dark energies were surging through their hands; light and darkness forming together.

"GEMINI STORM!" Fully fused together, their blasts erupted forward, ravaging straight through the creatures like butter. The impact was so powerful that even being near it tore through the creatures. They let out one last roar before the blast vaporized them all, leaving a ruined battlefield.

"Phew." Palutena sighed as she slumped to the ground. "Wow, I must be out of shape if that technique wore me out this much."

"I'm more surprised that it actually worked after all this time. You weren't very good at chanting your part of the spell last time." smirked Medusa.

"Oh be quiet."

**(LINE BREAK)**

"HA HA HA HA! Take that, time wierdos! KER-SPAMMY!" yelled Pyrrhon as he hurled fireballs at the Legion of Time.

"Ker-spammy? That's a new one." sighed Luna.

"Well when you're as awesome as Pyrrhon, you have to come up with new lines." Pyrrhon spoke with pride.

"Oh brother." muttered Luna who immediately sidestepped to avoid a Time solder's attack. Pyrrhon soared over and grabbed the being in a headlock, inflaming it instantly. Luna looked over the remaining Legion of Time soldiers. One thing she noticed was that there were no Einherjar, which was probably a good thing. This battle was tiring. Iris finished impaling two soldiers on her lance, but she looked tired too.

"Urgh, I hate these things." growled Iris. Luna nodded in agreement.

"Pyrrhon, Iris, what say we start to wrap this up?" suggested Luna. Pyrrhon looked at her and gave her a thumbs up. Iris nodded as well.

"Sure thing cousin! Let's give these wimps the combined powers of the sun and moon!" cheered Pyrrhon. Luna just sighed.

"Sure, whatever." she said as ice flowed over her parasol. Pyrrhon's hands glowed with fire as the Time soldiers converged on them.

"Time to burn, losers! Pyro Blaster!"

"Moonlight Rondo!"

"Valflame!"

The twin fire and ice blasts combined with Iris' ultimate fire spell impacted the group of Time soldiers, even blowing Pyrrhon and Luna back a ways before they collected themselves. To their relief though, as the dust settled, the soldiers were gone.

"Phew, that's a relief. I couldn't have gone on much longer." sighed Luna as she wiped her sweat-covered forehead.

"Ha ha ha ha! They were no match for the power of teamwork!" cheered Pyrrhon.

"Uh huh, sure." said Luna as she shook her head.

"What a nutcase." groaned Iris.

**(LINE BREAK)**

Upon a valley, Aki and Phosphora had just arrived, seeing the Legion of Time in the distance.

"Well, this should be interesting." said Aki, summoning a hammer from his hands. Phosphora gasped.

"Is that Mjolnir?" she asked. Aki chuckled.

"Heck no. Dad wouldn't let me use Mjolnir even if my life depended on it. This is Armads, my own personal hammer. Not as powerful, but it'll get the job done." smiled Aki.

"Well, that's a relief." said Phosphora. As that point, Aki looked forward and saw the Legion of Time approaching.

"Looks like chat time is over." Aki smiled as lightning flowed through his hammer. "Time to play then. LIGHTNING PUNISHMENT!"

Aki spun around in a circle, creating a storm of lightning that burned the creatures as they approached him. A simple technique, but pretty powerful. Phosphora was awed as Aki stopped the attack.

"Wow, you've got to teach me that." she said with a glint in her eyes. Aki shook his head and chuckled. His cousin hadn't changed a bit.

**(LINE BREAK)**

Meanwhile, back at Skyworld, Eres continued doing some basic first aid on Pyrrha's arm. Her arm had healed quite a bit. It wouldn't be too long before she was back on the battlefield.

"Eres?" started Pyrrha.

"Yes?" replied Eres.

"What's going to happen to the Earth now? Both Viridi and Yggdrasill are gone." said Pyrrha. Eres nodded solemnly.

"That's true. The Earth will die without its goddess or the great tree. However, as the goddess of harvest, I should be able to stand in for at least a little while. It won't last long though. Eventually, my power would run out and the Earth will continue down the path of destruction." replied Eres.

"Great." Pyrrha sighed at Eres. "As if things couldn't go even more downhill. If only Viridi was still alive."

"Yes, if only." sighed Eres, still lamenting over her failure to protect the girl she had practically raised herself. At that point, Pyrrha looked at Eres.

"Eres, is there any way to bring Viridi back? We've seen all those other gods come back. There's gotta be some way." said Pyrrha. Eres seemed to ponder that, and Pyrrha began to wonder if she knew.

"Do you know a way?" Pyrrha repeated to her.

"I'm not sure. I need to think." muttered Eres. Pyrrha realized that Eres had something on her mind, but she didn't want to talk about it right now, so she nodded in understanding. Eres understood more than she did, so she trusted her with whatever she was thinking about.

**(LINE BREAK)**

Eventually, everyone returned to Palutena's Temple, exhausted from the battle. Dark Pit and Prometheus handled their battle well enough, although they were both tired.

"Great job everyone!" cheered Palutena. "We keep this up and maybe we have a chance."

"Well ain't that just grand." sighed Iris. "If anyone needs me, I'm going to the guest room and taking a nap."

Everyone else began to disperse after getting some quick drinks. Soon enough, just Palutena and Medusa were let sipping their drinks at the table.

"Hard to believe that we finally got to work together again after so long." smiled Palutena.

"I find it hard to believe that you're so cheerful about all this." groaned Medusa.

"What do you mean?" asked Palutena.

"After everything that happened, me imprisoning you, and then raging war again against you a few years ago, and yet you welcome me here with open arms? You're either naïve or just crazy." smirked Medusa.

Palutena shook her head. "I welcome you because I still think there's good in you."

"Ha, I'm the goddess of darkness. I wasn't exactly born to be good." spat Medusa.

"Being of darkness doesn't make you automatically bad; that's a choice. You and I co-ruled Skyworld peacefully for centuries. Those were….some of the best years I ever had." spoke Palutena. "You were my only sister. Didn't all those years mean anything to you? Remember when I wrote that graffiti on the walls as a kid?" she smiled.

"And then I got in trouble for not stopping you. Being the big sister wasn't exactly glamorous." muttered Medusa.

"But even so, it was peaceful." said Palutena before she sighed. "It's just….I often wonder. Why did the issue of humans have to get between us? Everything was peaceful for centuries, and then they just broke apart. Why did you let humans get under your skin and do the things you did?"

"Why did I care that much?" started Medusa as she put her cup down. "Because it was our job to care. You remember Zeus' words. We both had to watch over humanity. I wanted to get away from it, because I didn't care about humans, but I had to anyway. Then, as the centuries went by, the humans got more and more fickle. They would beg for us to help when trouble was coming, and then celebrate their own success when it had passed."

"I don't deny that but, just like you and me, there is a light and dark side to everything. Both gods and humans have caused wars with their own selfishness and greed." said Palutena before she sighed again. "You know, if you had just asked, I would have been more than happy to care for the humans myself. You wouldn't have had to have any involvement with them if you wanted to."

"Is that right? You didn't seem to have any qualms when I became a monster and got banished." said Medusa, raising he voice a bit.

"You think I enjoyed that? You think I enjoyed transforming my own sister into a monster? That tore me apart to do something like that." retaliated Palutena, raising her voice a bit as well. "I wanted to help you see the truth, but you wouldn't let me."

Medusa actually seemed a bit surprised at her statement as she sat back down. "Well whatever. The past is past anyway."

"I agree. Can I count on you to help us through this war?" asked Palutena, actually having a bit of a pleading look in her eyes. Medusa flinched a bit as she saw it.

"Grrr, that look again. As kids, you always gave me that look when you wanted something." Medusa sighed. "Fine, I'll help for now. I've got nothing else to do anyway."

To her surprise, Palutena gave a bright smile, actually coming over and hugging Medusa. "That's wonderful. It'll be the two of us, just like before." she said with a happy tone.

"You are so bizarre. Has Pit ever told you that?" asked Medusa.

"Maybe once or twice." smiled Palutena. "Oh, and I kept your old room all nice and clean. No dust at all."

"Um…..thanks I guess." said Medusa awkwardly. With that, both goddess began walking away from the central hall. Before they parted though, Palutena had one last set of words for Medusa.

"You know Medusa." she started as Medusa turned around to face her. "If you play nice, I would have no problems changing you back."

That was perhaps the biggest surprise yet, as Medusa just stared at Palutena with a surprised look.

"You actually mean that? After everything I did, and the fact that I haven't regretted anything I've done, you would offer that to me?" she asked. Palutena smiled again.

"By doing this, you're helping save both us and humanity. I'd say that's worth a few brownie points. Think about it." said Palutena. Medusa gave Palutena and turned away from her. However, she spoke one last time before leaving.

"I'll give it some thought."

**(END)**

**Phew, longest chapter yet for me. What a doozy. That being said, I hope everyone enjoyed it.**

**Sicomba, your OC has finally make his appearance at last! We'll look forward to seeing what Aki brings to the table in the future.**

**I honestly laughed as Iris started beating up on Pyrrhon after hearing what he did to Pit. She's become quite protective of him hasn't she?**

**Yeah, I made Pyrrhon and Luna cousins. Since they're somewhat inspired by Apollo and Artemis from Greek mythology (who were brother and sister), I figured cousins would suit them here.**

**From my interpretation of Palutena and Medusa co-ruling Skyworld before Medusa's rebellion, I got the idea of them being sisters and hoped it would be good for character development.**

**Anyway, today's bio gives us more insight on Aki:**

*******Akihisa "Aki" Thorson*******

**Age: 16 years old appearance-wise.**

**Appearance: Average height for his age. Short red hair and the same eye color as Phosphora. Wears brown pants and black boots. Wears a blue long-sleeved top underneath a dark protective vest. Also wears light armor on his vest, gloves, and boots.**

**Japanese seiyu: Mamoru Miyano  
**

**English VA: Roger Craig Smith**

**Bio: Aki is the son of Thor and cousin of Phosphora. He grew up with her until she left to join the Forces of Nature. He's generally easy-going, but quite serious in battle. He found Pyrrhon adrift before coming to Earth, convincing the sun god to calm down (at least a little bit). He's also quite the gentleman when he feels like it. He's not as fast as Phosphora, but he's stronger and more skilled.**

*******End bio*******

**Well, that's that. There may be 2 Paralogue chapters left. I'm sure everyone anxiously wants to get back to Pit. Gotta set the stage first though. **

**Anyway, stay tuned for the next chapter.**

**Review as always and thanks! Sentinel07, out!**


	25. Paralogue 3: Noire, the Angel of Death

**Hello people! Sentinel07 here with the third Paralogue chapter.**

**Thanks to everyone who enjoyed the last chapter. I'm glad that it was well-received.**

_Italics means a character's personal thoughts._

**_Bold and italics refers to quotes using telepathy._**

**Make sure you keep reading those AN's at the bottom for anything that might be upcoming.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Kid Icarus or any other referenced video game or anime.**

**Now, let's begin!**

**(BEGIN)**

**Paralogue 3: Noire, the Angel of Death **

Noire looked over the Realm of Oblivion, watching over its citizens. They were the same as always; no real sign of daily life. It often made her wander how she was even born.

"They're all alive, and yet they aren't alive. Such a sad place." muttered Noire with a hand over her heart. Right then, she tensed up a bit as a presence inside her spoke up.

"You're babbling to yourself again. You need to stop that if you're going to get anywhere." spoke a feminine voice from out of nowhere.

"Quiet down Fimbulvetr. You shouldn't speak up like that." chided Noire, although the tone sounded more like pleading than demanding. The voice shut up after that. Noire sighed; she hated having to carry a living weapon around like this.

"Noire." Someone one spoke from behind her. Noire turned around and saw Amiti behind her.

"I have orders from Lord Kronos.

**(LINE BREAK)**

Dark Pit surveyed the Centurions, watching them work out in the courtyard. As the captain of the guard, at least for now, he wasn't going to tolerate slacking.

"Come on! I'm not seeing enough bench reps!" he ordered at a Centurion Strongarm bench pressing.

"Yes sir!" said the Centurion. Dark Pit nodded as he kept watching them all.

Meanwhile, Aki was just finishing washing his face and getting out of the bathroom. As he did, he saw Pyrrhon along the way.

"Ah Pyrrhon, nice to run into you." said Aki. Pyrrhon smiled and raised a hand for a high five.

"Lovely morning, my friend! Don't you just feel invigorated?! Pyrrhon feels like this will be a great day!" cheered Pyrrhon.

"Well, we could use an optimist." muttered Aki.

It had been about a month since that battle at the Gardens of Elysium. Everyone was so busy now. Eres and Arlon had gone to the Overworld Sanctuary, as Eres needed to keep the Earth alive long enough until they came up with a way to bring Viridi back. With Yggdrasill destroyed as well, they needed to do something.

Anyway, Phosphora had decided to stay with everyone in Skyworld. She and Aki often caught up on past events, while Aki also tried teaching her some of the things Thor taught him. It was perhaps the most serious Phosphora had ever been about learning anything. You could tell that she was motivated to make up for what happened earlier.

A little bit after Aki arrived with Pyrrhon, Dark Pit took him to see the Lightning Chariot.

_*****Flashback (A little bit after Aki arrived) *****_

A couple days after Aki arrived in Skyworld, Dark Pit took him to a hanger which housed the Lightning Chariot. Aki wanted to see it, hence why Dark Pit was doing this. He awed as he first set eyes on the sight.

"The design is superb, as one would expect from Dagran." said Aki, confusing Dark Pit.

"Dagran?" he asked. Aki nodded.

"Yes, Dagran the Brave. He was one of Asgard's finest warriors. I believe you all knew him as the Chariot Master?" suggested Aki. Dark Pit nodded at that.

"Ah yeah, Pit told me about that. He said that he had to scale his tower and battle him to get the Lightning Chariot, which resulted in his death." muttered Dark Pit. Aki nodded solemnly.

"I figured as much." Started Aki again. "Dagran was the greatest general Asgard ever had. He was practically my Dad's right hand man in the old days. You see, back then, Asgard was involved in numerous wars. Countless people died, including many of Dagran's friends. We won the wars, but he was scared beyond reasoning, both externally and internally. He was never quite the same after the wars ended."

"So what happened?" asked Dark Pit.

"One day, he left, just like that. Dad wasn't too surprised though. He had expected him to do that. Dagran wanted to live out his remaining days in solitude, along with his steeds; Phos and Lux." explained Aki before looking at Dark Pit.

"Speaking of which, I'm grateful for your friend, Pit, for finally laying his soul to rest. He went through so much; I bet his soul had deteriorated much by then." muttered Aki. Dark Pit gave him a snarky grin.

"Guess I'll let Pit know when we finally catch him."

_*****End flashback*****_

Palutena and Medusa often discussed plans in the central hall, trying to limit the amount of destruction the Legion of Time was inflicting upon the land. Surprisingly though, they had yet to face any of the Great Generals at this point, and there was no Einherjar or Monoliths in sight either. This worried Palutena that they were holding back their more powerful forces. Medusa hypothesized that they were looking for something, but no one could really come up with a good answer for that.

Of course, many of them had difficulty trying to adjust to Pyrrhon. Aki explained what had happened. He found Pyrrhon drifting alone at the edge of space, apparently having separated from the Aurum along the way. Aki apparently gave him some energy to wake him up and gave Pyrrhon a strong pep talk, having heard of the events of the Aurum war.

Prometheus went in and out, often trying to find out whatever he could. He was back to his lonely ways though, as he still hated being in a group. Pyrrha and Luna often tried to train together and help out in any way possible. Pyrrha's arm had fully recovered now and she was more than angry enough for some payback.

Iris went back and forth between Skyworld and the Underworld, having to keep an eye on Thanatos and Pandora. She had considered bringing both of them up to help fight, but eventually decided not to. Someone needed to keep the Underworld in order while she was fighting the war.

"So, you adjusting to the place? You haven't burned down anything anyway." said Aki.

"Of course, Pyrrhon is always careful." smiled Pyrrhon.

"Sure whatever." smirked Aki. They had all tried to obtain whatever information could lead to either Pit's location or whatever they could use to defeat Kronos' forces. The regular Legion of Time forces were getting a bit easier for the group as they got stronger, but it was only a matter of time before their heavy hitters came up to bat.

However, everyone was shaken out of their thoughts when an emergency alarm resounded throughout Palutena's Temple.

**(LINE BREAK)**

"What's up Palutena?" asked Dark Pit as he ran into central hall. Palutena was looking over a reflecting pool.

"Looks like we have our first Great General sighting! One of them is leading a group of Time soldiers near the Valley of Hope." said Palutena. Dark Pit came over and looked at the vision of the area. He could see the Great General surrounded by Time soldiers. However, he couldn't make out any details, as the vision was kind of blurry.

"So, who is that?" asked Dark Pit. Palutena shrugged her shoulders. However, right at that moment, Prometheus and Phosphora came into the room, looking into the pool.

"I don't recognize that person. Whoever they are never showed up in front of Viridi." said Phosphora.

"Noire." spoke Prometheus.

"Noire?" asked Dark Pit.

"Yes, she's the only female in the Great Generals. I've never seen her face-to-face, but that figure is definitely not Eldran or Amiti." spoke Prometheus.

"So, who is this Noire?" asked Palutena. Prometheus sighed at yet another explanation.

"I don't know much about her, but I've heard of her. She's known as the Angel of Death among the Legion of Time." explained Prometheus, catching Palutena's eye at his statement.

"She's an angel?" she asked. Prometheus shook his head.

"Not in the literal sense. It's just her title." said Prometheus. "From what I hear, it's because she's normally like an angel, but in battle, she's an avatar of death."

"Sounds like a real character." said Dark Pit. "Well, whoever she is, I sat we find out who she is. I'm going out there."

"Are you sure Dark Pit?" asked Palutena. "If she's really a Great General, she might be as strong as Eldran."

"Well we've been training for something ever since that battle. If Pit were here, he'd go straight in no problem. So let me go and handle this." said Dark Pit, as serious as he ever was in his life. Palutena sighed. There wasn't going to be any arguing with Dark Pit. He also had a point; if Pit were here, he'd do the exact same thing.

"Fine, but at least take someone along." said Palutena. "Prometheus, you should go with him, since you know more about the Great Generals than we do."

Prometheus groaned, but he nodded anyway. She had a good point.

"I'll go too!" called a female voice. They all turned their heads and saw Luna running up to them, appearing battle ready.

"Good, the more the merrier." smiled Palutena. "All right, if you're that ready, then go!"

**(LINE BREAK)**

Before long, Dark Pit was flying through the air with the Power of Flight. He was glad that he didn't have to use the Dragoon for once, even if Palutena was controlling his flight path. Prometheus and Luna flew alongside him.

"You know, the fact that you two don't have wings and can fly is really annoying." scoffed Dark Pit.

"Quit complaining." spat Luna. Dark Pit didn't say another word about that subject.

"So Prometheus, anything else you know about Noire?" asked Dark Pit.

"Not really. There is one other rumor though. She supposedly wields a very strange weapon. I hear that she's an archer, but her weapon is….unique." said Prometheus.

"Unique in what way?" asked Luna.

"If I know, wouldn't I have said it by now?" Prometheus smirked back at them, making Luna pout.

"Well, then this should be interesting. I'll finally have a real battle with a Great General." grinned Dark Pit. Luna sighed to herself. These boys were looking forward to this way too much.

Anyway, not much else was said as they flew along towards the Valley of Hope. Dark Pit recognized the name. It was the place where this all started; where Pit first met Prometheus and started this whole story. As they approached the area, Dark Pit could see the Legion of Time monsters flying around. However, he couldn't see this supposed Angel of Death.

"I'm going to look for Noire. You two take out those monsters." commanded Dark Pit.

"You got it!" saluted Luna. Prometheus scoffed at taking orders, but he raised no objections as he readied Helswath. With that, Dark Pit turned to the right and began looking around, preparing his Silver Bow just in case.

As Dark Pit flew to the side, Prometheus and Luna dived right into the horde of Time soldiers, who growled at their presence and began to attack.

"What? No hello?" smirked Prometheus as he slashed one monster to bits. "Alright, who's next?"

**(LINE BREAK)**

After the Power of Flight ran out, Dark Pit landed and began to walk around the valley. He didn't see any such person around the Time monsters, so he imagined that he would have to look on his own. He wasn't too sure though. Palutena's vision was quite blurry, and he didn't exactly have an accurate description of the girl.

However, in the end, as he began to turn a corner, he wouldn't need to worry.

"Noire, I sense a wonderful soul arriving." spoke a feminine voice that sounded evil.

"_Noire?!"_ thought Dark Pit as he looked forward. He saw a small figure about 20 yards away, back turned to him.

"Be quiet Fimbulvetr." spoke Noire. The tone of voice wasn't exactly commanding, more like a child trying to sound in control. The girl slowly turned her head towards Dark Pit. He tensed as he got a good look at the Legion of Time general.

"_Hmm, she's actually not bad looking. A little too skinny though."_ thought Dark Pit. "Palutena, do you sense anything?"

"**I'm sensing something weird. I feel two presences where she's standing."** said Palutena.

"Two? But I only see one." said Dark Pit in confusion.

"**Could she be…..? No, it can't be."** said Palutena. **"The only answer I can think of is that there's something inside of her. A powerful force."**

"Something inside her? You're kidding." said Dark Pit.

"No, she's right. There is something in me." Dark Pit turned forward to see Noire standing two feet away from him, speaking in a solemn tone. Dark Pit gasped in surprise and flipped back a ways, collecting himself after seeing that.

"Woah, how did she get to me so quickly?" asked Dark Pit, Silver Bow at the ready. Noire was still standing there, just looking at Dark Pit with an unreadable look on her face. Dark Pit began to wonder just who she was.

"Are you afraid?" she spoke softly. "You should be…..Ugh!"

Suddenly, Noire began tensing up, her body beginning to spasm a bit. Truthfully, Dark Pit was starting to get a bit frightened. This was spooky even for him. He heard Noire twitch and moan, which slowly grew into discomforting groans. She staggered back and forth, her hands coming to her head as she briefly groaned in pain.

"Ahh…Ah…ugh…Ahh…Ahhhh." she groaned.

"What in the world is going on?" asked Dark Pit. However, he noticed something. The air around him was beginning to feel denser, as if this girl in front of him was unleashing some major magical energy. It felt like light, and yet it also felt….evil.

"Ahhhhhhh….Ughh…Ahhhh!" Noire groaned louder, as her body contorted, something beginning to form through her back, as if something was growing insider her. Dark Pit didn't know what to think.

"Hey, are you alright….." he started, right before Noire let out a deafening scream.

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" A white mass of energy formed around Noire, coming right out of her back and manifesting above her. Dark Pit was in shock and awe at what he was witnessing. The form above Noire began to solidify, a pair of arms and hands forming. At once, a feminine head formed, with a mane of white hair flowing out. A face appeared on the head, feminine in appearance and staring evilly at Dark Pit. After the being fully materialized, Noire's screams finally died down.

"What…did I just see?" asked Dark Pit, finding no words to describe what he just saw. The white being then looked at Noire, putting one hand forcefully on Noire's head.

"Ouch, that hurts. Don't do that." spoke Noire. The being just smirked.

"Don't be such a wuss." said the being before grinning at Dark Pit. "He looks strong. Perfect for us."

"I don't know Fimbulvetr. You know I'm not good with boys." said Noire with an insecure voice.

"_Fimbulvetr?"_ thought Dark Pit. "Palutena, have you heard of Fimbulvetr?"

"**Only in legends. It supposedly is a weapon with its own will. It's known as the Star Bow, and it is also said to feed on human souls." **said Palutena. That last part caught Dark Pit's attention.

"Wait, it's a holy bow but it consumes human souls?! That makes no sense!" yelled Dark Pit.

"You know, you shouldn't talk behind people's backs." Dark Pit looked forward to once again see Noire right in front of him. Surprised but not as much as last time, Dark Pit slashed forward with his Silver Bow, landing a direct hit on Noire's chest.

"Got'cha!" cheered Dark Pit. However, something was off. Looking at where his weapon hit her, he only saw a small trail of blood; his weapon barely hurt her at all.

"Oh no." spoke Noire in a solemn tone. "You can't hurt me with a weak attack like that."

Grunting, Dark Pit landed a kick right on Noire's chest, sending her back a bit. That last remark didn't exactly make him feel good.

"How's this for weak?!" yelled Dark Pit as he charged forward, unleashing multiple arrows from his bow. Most of them impacted Noire, causing her to grunt in discomfort. A tiny trail of blood flowed out of her mouth.

"Well, at least I got some damage." muttered Dark Pit. However, Fimbulvetr seemed unamused.

"Interesting show, but hardly enough." Fimbulvetr then turned to Noire. "Let's get him Noire."

"Right." spoke Noire. At that, Fimbulvetr condensed into another mass of energy as Noire lifted her right hand into the mass, as something began to form around it. Suddenly, a bow formed around her hand, the remaining energy flowing into it. The bow was white in color, with two star-like designs at the ends where it met the bowstring. The arc of the bow further extended beyond those star designs in long stands of energy, becoming almost as long as Noire herself. Energy surged around the tip of the bow.

"Wow, that thing looks menacing." spoke Dark Pit as he prepared himself again. Just as he spoke, Noire aimed her bow straight at him.

"Do I really have to?" she asked.

"Stop whining. If you don't win, you're not getting dinner tonight." spoke Fimbulvetr from inside the bow.

"What? You can't do that! I can't deal with being any thinner than I already am!" said Noire in possibly the biggest outburst she had yet, although there was a considerable amount of fear in that tone.

"Um, are you going to fight any time now?" asked Dark Pit, smirking at her in his usual tone. However, right as he said that, something flashed on Noire's chest briefly. Before he could ask what it was, Noire met him with an angry look.

"INSOLENCE! You dare tell me when to fight! I'll have your head!" she roared at him, firing her arrow straight at him. As Dark Pit tried to recover from the outburst, he sidestepped to barely dodge her powerful arrow.

"Woah! Did her personality just do a 180?" Dark Pit didn't have much time to speak after that, as Noire was already in front of him again, firing another arrow that grazed his leg. Grunting, Dark Pit rolled to the side, blocking a frontal strike from Noire.

"Get him Noire!" cheered Fimbulvetr.

Dark Pit pushed Fimbulvetr up, aiming for a direct slash at Noire. At that moment, Noire ducked, aiming a sweeping kick at Dark Pit's legs. The attack connected, causing Dark Pit to use his balance and fall to the ground. Noire grabbed Fimbulvetr at the center and separated her into twin swords, trying to impale Dark Pit. At the last second, he rolled over, dodging the first strike. However, Noire lashed out her second sword, cutting into Dark Pit's left shoulder.

Grunting in discomfort at the strike, Dark Pit staggered to his feet and flipped into the air, firing more arrows at Noire. She sidestepped them, although a few grazed her right side as she reconnected Fimbulvetr and fired arrows herself. Hers had real force behind them, as Dark Pit learned as one fierce arrow impacted his shoulder.

"Argh!" grunted Dark Pit as he fell back to the ground. He was getting nowhere against this girl. Noire was relentless. Where did this side of her come from? What happened to the meek girl from before?

"Just who are you?!" asked Dark Pit. Noire scoffed and glared at him.

"Foolish question! I am the Angel of Death, you fool of a man!" Noire roared as she readied another arrow, this one larger than the others. "Stardust Arrow!"

Dark Pit rolled to the side to dodge the blunt of the arrow, although it still grazed his leg, causing him to grunt in discomfort. He had to really get an advantage against this girl. She had speed, power, and dang good accuracy to boot.

"Where is your courage little man?! Fight me before I remove your tongue from your craven mouth!" Noire jumped into the air and fired at Dark Pit, causing him to roll out of the way before she made a porcupine out of him.

"We've got him on the run!" cheered Fimbulvetr, clearly enjoying the heated battle. Noire separated her back into swords and dove down on Dark Pit, trying to impale him upon the ground. Dark Pit jumped back to his feet in time as Noire's attack impacted the ground. Briefly stunned, Dark Pit landed a punch to Noire's chest, trying to knock her enough to get his balance. However, it didn't work as Noire recovered and grabbed his leg, twisting him in mid-air and blasting him with a shockwave, sending him flying into the ground as he created a 30-yard long trail on the ground. Staggered, but not out, Dark Pit got back on his feet, panting from exhaustion.

"Angel of Death…..how fitting." muttered Dark Pit as he got back on his feet. He was feeling pretty battered, but nothing really bad. He had fought through worse in the past.

But he couldn't even begin to understand this girl. Her personality changed in the blink of an eye, and with that powerful bow helping her, she was a force of nature.

None the less, Dark Pit charged at Noire. She fired another arrow at him, to which he was able to dodge with an air roll. He dashed over to her, landing a punch on her face. Maybe that would do some damage.

"Finally, a hit." said Dark Pit.

"You're hurting me too?" Suddenly, Dark Pit was again looking into Noire's soft eyes; the eyes he saw at the beginning. What was going on? With no time to ponder that question, Dark Pit began slashing with his bow, as Noire tried to block them.

"Noire, don't just take it. Fire back!" yelled Fimbulvetr.

"But what am I supposed to do?!" replied Noire frantically.

"Kill him! Take his soul!" cried Fimbulvetr.

Ignoring their conversation, Dark Pit landed a kick on Noire's midsection, following it up with a roundhouse kick that sent her flying across the battlefield. Finally making progress, Dark Pit began dashing towards her as Noire tried to pick herself off the ground. She stared at him emotionlessly.

"That won't always work." she spoke. Dark Pit ignored her and fired arrows as he charged. Noire blocked them with Fimbulvetr as Dark Pit charged in close. A few arrows impacted her, leaving Dark Pit a clear shot.

"Got'cha!" he cried as he attempted to slash her. However, right before he could, Noire grabbed him by his neck, growling at him.

"WRETCHED MAN! I am not some ant! The Angel of Death requires satisfaction!" she growled at him as she threw him aside. The crazy side of her was back.

Dark Pit again picked himself off the ground. "Oh come on, what is up with her?" he asked futilely.

"Enough of you! Time for you to taste hell, mortal! HA HA HA HA!" she exclaimed as a hexagonal glyph appeared around the tip of Fimbulvetr, beginning to brim with energy. It looked like thousands of arrows all being stored at once. Dark Pit realized too late what that meant.

"Uh oh."

"Now, to the abyss with you! TERMINAL JUDGMENT!"

At once, thousands of arrows erupted from Fimbulvetr's glyph, surging right towards Dark Pit, causing an explosion upon contact.

**(END)**

**Boy, what a battle huh? Probably one last Paralogue before we finally reach Part 2.**

**Yes, my name for the Chariot Master is Dagran the Brave. Even he's going to have some more depth later on, because I'm just that awesome. **

**Anyway, character bio time! Now we take a look at our remaining Great General: Noire and Fimbulvetr.**

*******Noire and Fimbulvetr*******

**Age: Noire appears around 14 years old appearance-wise (about 40 years old in real time). Fimbulvetr doesn't really have an age.**

**Appearance: Noire is of average height (a tiny bit taller than Pit) and has a lean figure. She has short auburn hair, barely reaching her shoulders. She wears a purple and red sleeveless top and skirt. She wears a black long-sleeved top underneath her sleeveless top with archer gloves on her hands. She also wears black leggings with equally colored boots to match. Her boots reach just below her knee and sport **

**Fimbulvetr is a white color and appears as a strong and feminine figure. **

**Japanese seiyu: Yuki Matsuoka (Noire) and Mie Sonozuki (Fimbulvetr)**

**English VA: Michelle Ruff (Noire) and Tara Platt (Fimbulvetr)**

**Bio: Noire is the youngest of the three Great Generals. Unlike the others, she's a naturally born Temporian; meaning that she was born through natural birth rather than through the Realm of Oblivion. As such, she was coveted by Temporian scientists and experimented on constantly. Normally, she is a sweet girl who honestly doesn't like is a so-called spirit of light that takes delight in killing.  
**

*******End bio*******

**Well that's all for now. Stay tuned for the last Paralogue next chapter. We'll wrap up anything else from Part 1 or these Paralogues and then get right to Part 2, which will introduce a new main character along with Pit.**

**Sentinel07, out!**


	26. Paralogue 4: Where We Stand

**Hello people! Sentinel07 here with the final Paralogue chapter.**

**Thanks to everyone who enjoyed the last chapter. I'm glad that it was well-received.**

_Italics means a character's personal thoughts._

**_Bold and italics refers to quotes using telepathy._**

**Make sure you keep reading those AN's at the bottom for anything that might be upcoming.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Kid Icarus or any other referenced video game or anime.**

**Now, let's begin!**

**(BEGIN)**

**Paralogue 4: Where We Stand **

**BOOM!**

As Prometheus and Luna wrapped up their battle with the Time soldiers, they heard an explosion from behind them, in the vicinity of where Dark Pit had flown to earlier.

"What was that?" asked Luna.

"Guess Dark Pit found Noire. That would be my guess. Let's roll." said Prometheus, not wasting a second as he flew into the air.

"Right behind you!"

**(LINE BREAK)**

After a minute, the dust began to settle around the new crater created by Noire's Terminal Judgment attack. The attack had taken the wind out of Noire as well, as she watched over the crater.

"Well done Noire. See what you can accomplish when you put your mind to it?" chided Fimbulvetr. However, Noire didn't look sure. Her previous insanity seemed to have subsided for a bit after she unleashed her attack.

"I don't know Fimbulvetr. He didn't look like a bad guy." said Noire. Right as she said that, Fimbulvetr's humanoid form emerged from the bow, putting her hands around Noire's head rather fiercely.

"You're too soft. Why can't you be insane all the time? Perhaps we should mention that the next time you're in the experimentation room." sneered Fimbulvetr, as Noire's eyes widened again.

"Please, no more of that. I don't….I don't want to see those doctors ever again." whimpered Noire.

"Then stop acting like some damn sissy!" cried Fimbulvetr, rubbing against Noire's head in a discomforting way with her hands.

"Ow! Please stop that!" cried Noire. However, right as she said that, she heard movement from the crater. She turned in its direction and saw a hand clawing its way out. Another push later and Dark Pit was seen trying to claw out of the crater. Hid body looked pretty wounded from the attack, but he was still very much alive. However, his left wing hung limply, and he made no effort to move it.

"You….survived?"

"Ugh, barely." Dark Pit groaned as he once again staggered to his feet. He looked at his limp left wing and sighed. "Palutena should be able to patch it together hopefully."

"You're as tenacious as a cockroach." growled Fimbulvetr. Dark Pit just smirked at them.

"Well, then what does that make you? I'm still standing and your partner looks like she's about to keel over." Dark Pit kept smirking at them. He was right after all. Terminal Judgment was Noire's deadliest attack, but also her most costly. Right now, Noire was trying her best just to stay upright.

"Damn you." growled Fimbulvetr. Before Dark Pit could retort, he heard sounds approaching from behind him. He didn't need to look back to tell that Prometheus and Luna were the ones on approach. They touched down just beside Dark Pit.

"Well, sounds like you've all done a nice job with the place." smirked Prometheus as he observed the destroyed battlefield, much to his pleasure. He then looked at Noire.

"Heh, so it really is you. Likes like Dark Pit here put you through the ringer. Well, that makes it easier for us then." smiled Prometheus as he readied his scythe.

"Wait!" cried Dark Pit.

"What?" growled Prometheus. "Right now, she is weak. It's the perfect opportunity to kill one of the Great Generals. Wasn't that what you were aiming for in the first place?

"I'm aware of that, but I want to ask her some things first. I have questions." said Dark Pit. The things that Noire would constantly mention kept bugging him. What was she talking about? And what was up with her random personality shifts.

"I believe there is no time for questions."

Everyone looked up as a new figure floated down to the ground. It was Amiti, who looked over the battlefield, as if taking in information.

"Have you found the Scion?" he asked, seemingly to Noire, who was still catching her breath.

"Nothing, Amiti." she replied. Amiti sighed.

"So not here either. Oh well, it can't hide from us for much longer." muttered Amiti, fixing up his glasses a bit.

Dark Pit and the others had no clue as to what they were talking about.

"Hey, glasses guy!" cried Prometheus. "Who's the Scion you're referring to?"

Ignoring the "glasses guy" comment, Amiti glared at Prometheus. "Someone of great importance to Lord Kronos. One might say it's the 2nd half of the equation."

"Equation?" asked Luna.

"You could say that the goddess of nature was the first half." said Amiti. Everyone looked at each other, wandering what Amiti was referring to. Was Kronos now looking for someone else? He already used Viridi as the key to his release. What in the world was he planning next?

"Anyway, it's nothing of your concern." muttered Amiti before turning his back. "Noire, we should return to the Realm of Oblivion. We'll also have to discuss your conduct during this battle." he added a bit more harshly. As she heard that, Noire looked like she was about to cry, a fact that Dark Pit noticed but didn't bring up.

However, Amiti seemed to have one last thing on his mind as he turned to face the others again.

"Although," he started. "Now would be a grand opportunity to erase the Dread Reaper. You've been poking around a little too much for our tastes."

Prometheus just grinned. "Oh, did I invade your privacy one too many times? I must have lost count."

"Mock me all you want. It will do you no good." said Amiti who brought his right hand forward. "Noire seems to be too low on energy to continue, so I guess it falls to me to give you a proper lesson."

"_Wait, so now we'll get to see how he fights?"_ wondered Dark Pit. They hadn't seen any of Amiti's fighting prowess yet after all. This could be a good opportunity.

Amiti's right hand glowed as blue fire danced around his hand. Then, motioning as if drawing a sword from a scabbard, a large white and blue sword emerged from the flames, forming a giant claymore to which he left effortlessly with one hand.

"Woah…that's a big sword." muttered Dark Pit. Ignoring the comment, Amiti began to walk towards Prometheus, as if feeling no urgency or fear towards the Underworld soldier. However, just as he gripped his sword harder, someone dashed out in front of Prometheus.

"If you want to get to Prometheus," started Luna, glaring at Amiti. "You'll have to go through me first." she spat as she readied her parasol in front of her.

"Luna…." spoke Prometheus, as if he didn't know what to think. However, Amiti looked unamused.

"Goddess of the Moon, you are no threat to me. Move aside." spoke Amiti emotionlessly. However, Luna didn't move, her ice magic forming in her hands.

"I said you'll have to go through me! Ice Needles!" Shots of ice flew from Luna's hands towards Amiti, who effortlessly shielded them with his large sword.

"Not amusing. Now, you will either get out of the way, or die." he spoke again. Luna didn't move. Instead, she just gritted her teeth, surprising everyone by charging.

"Luna!" called Prometheus, but the girl wasn't listening. She was already attacking.

"Rest in a merciless silver embrace! Absolute!" The air around Amiti condensed, freezing around him as a sharp mass of ice enclosed around him, seemingly freezing him solid. However, Luna's joy was short-lived as the ice cracked quickly, with Amiti walking out, starting to look annoyed.

"I grow tired of these childish games. If you won't move, then your fate is sealed!" In perhaps his first outburst, Amiti dashed towards Luna, quickly jabbing her in the chest, causing her to recoil back a bit. However, as Amiti dashed to her and began to swing again, Luna caught her breath and flipped over his swinging arm, landing back on the ground and sweep kicking Amiti.

"What?" said Amiti as Luna then delivered a magically powered fist to his baskside, sending him flying aways. Dark Pit and Prometheus watched in awe.

"Wow, she's actually pretty good, and she's doing to protect you. How charming." smirked Dark Pit. Prometheus just scoffed.

"...Hmph, she's always been like that." he muttered to himself.

Meanwhile, Amiti was landing heavy blow after heavy blow on Luna, using whatever magic she could to soften the blows. It was clear that Luna was not adept at physical combat, but her magical prowess was keeping her up.

"You think you can win with defense?" smirked Amiti. To his surprise, Luna smirked back.

"Maybe, but I'm sure this will too. White Wave!" Light energy poured out from around Luna, striking Amiti and sending him flying backwards. He flipped in mid-air and regained his footing, but Luna was already charging again. She had Amiti on the ropes now.

"Frosted blades, fly sharply across the heavens. Freeze Lancer!" One of her more powerful ice spells, Luna waved her hands in a circular motion, creating a circular wave of energy. At once, multiple blades of ice shot from the glyph. Amiti raise his claymore in an attempt to block them. However, there were so many of them, and their great numbers didn't indicate a decrease in strength. The ice blades that avoided his sword impaled his shoulder and legs, causing him to grunt in discomfort.

"Ugh...grrrr...grrrr...persistent insect!" Amiti's rage was rising, his aura flowing around him like a volcano about to blow. Luna continued firing more ice shards, although Amiti started charging forward, barely even paying notice to the ice shards now. Amiti bashed his claymore against Luna's chest so fast that she didn't have time to block. The air got knocked out of Luna so much that she couldn't stop Amiti from grabbing her by the neck and ramming her against the rocky wall.

"AHHHHH! Ugh!" Luna choked out as she hit the rocky sides of the valley, feeling difficulty breathing as Amiti kept his hold on her.

"Foolish girl. Going this far for the Reaper." sneered Amiti. "What is it that drives that? Do you fancy him?"

You could almost hear him snicker at what he implied. "Lord Kronos' word had no need for such things. Such emotions are what makes humans the foolish species they are."

Luna shrugged to open one eye and growled at Amiti. "D-Don't you dare…..mock humans like that! Have you….n- no heart?!" she choked out.

Once again, although a bit louder, Amiti snickered.

"If I had a heart, this would be the part where I die of laughter." he said as he tightened his grip on Luna, beginning to raise his claymore. "Oh well, that will be the least of your worries soon."

Luna gasped as she closed her eyes, waiting for the inevitable blade to strike her down.

"Hey, hands off!" Prometheus came flying in, scythe at the ready as he took a shot for Amiti's head. At the last second, Amiti ducked, releasing his grip on Luna as she fell back to the ground, chocking and holding her head as she tried to breathe again.

"Luna, you stay here. You've done enough." warned Prometheus who immediately dashed away towards where Amiti had jumped back to.

"Now we can begin." said Amiti as his claymore began to enflame. "Wall of Flame!"

Impacting his claymore against the ground, a wall of blue flame arose as Prometheus charged forward. Being a being of fire himself, Prometheus didn't worry as he conjured his own flames, limiting damage as he charged through Amiti's wall.

"Hah, you think that's enough?!" cried Prometheus as he prepared to strike. Prometheus swung his scythe, causing Amiti to block it quickly. However, Prometheus used that momentum to swing his other leg around and slam Amiti in the sides.

"Ugh." groaned Amiti as he staggered. "So annoying."

Amiti sung his claymore, to which Prometheus blocked. The two men were engaged in a fierce battle, as both relied more on power than speed or defense. Prometheus' Helswath and Amiti's Requiem resounded with every strike.

"You think I'll lose to scum like you? Think again!" Prometheus growled as he swung a circular arc, using a burst of speed to get a hit on Amiti. Amiti was breathing hard now, Prometheus' sheer ruthlessness wearing him down. However, there was still one major difference; Amiti still had more power to burn than Prometheus. Prometheus was still a bit worn out from fighting the Time soldiers from earlier. Still, Prometheus came at Amiti with more wild strikes, trying very hard to get a direct hit on. However, Amiti stood calmly, analyzing Prometheus' movements.

"Your movements are wild, befitting a being of the Underworld. Your power controls you before than you control it."

Amiti's words struck a chord within Prometheus as his red aura began to flux.

"Don't mess with me! No one controls me!" he yelled as he swung Helswath again, crying to cut Amiti in half. However, it was a miss as Amiti jumped into the air, flipping and bringing a hard kick down on Prometheus' head, briefly stunning him.

"You have no tactics. You swing wildly. That may get you far against a weak soldier, but me on the other hand."

Amiti rose his sword, slamming against Prometheus' chest, knocking the air out of him. Huffing and puffing, Prometheus tried to bring Helswath around again, but by that time, Amiti kicked him again, and spun as he kicked Helswath far away from Prometheus.

"You're defenseless."

Amiti's blue aura roared around him as his sword began convulse with energy. The blaze got so right that everyone else almost took it for a blue sun. Amiti looked even more focused than ever as he targeted Prometheus.

"Now to finish this. FINAL FURY!" Amiti dashed forward, landing a straight slash on Prometheus' chest. The onslaught continued, as despite the large blade, Amiti moved as swiftly as a bullet. The amount of strength he needed for such a thing was unimaginable. Slash after slash landed on Prometheus, causing further damage as he even started to spit out blood.

"Prometheus!" cried Luna, who tried to grab her parasol and rush back to the battle, but Amiti's attack on her left her weak.

"Ugh!" Prometheus groaned as he tried to keep focused on Amiti. His attacks were taking a huge toll on his body, and he needed to think of something fast. Amiti was moving too quickly for magic to be effective. He was almost literally out of options. Prometheus briefly blocked one of Amiti's later strikes, but the General just rolled and jumped into the air.

"Feel my power! DYING MOON!" With that full force of his energy in his hands, Amiti brought his sword down upon Prometheus, causing an eruption of blue flames in the area around it.

"PROMETHEUS!" cried Luna again.

The force of the blast started pushing everyone back as they tried to shield themselves from the blast. Dark Pit ended up being flown back into his own crater as he tried to hold his ground. After a while, the energy began to subside. Amiti was standing in front of the crater he had just formed. The new one was huge, bigger than the one Noire made. Running over, Dark Pit and Luna could see Prometheus half-buried at the bottom. Amiti landed just before the crater, huffing and puffing.

"He's more of an annoyance than I thought he was." muttered Amiti. "Noire, we're done here. Recall any and all forces and report to Lord Kronos. We might find the Scion of Time."

Nodding as if not effected by the battle, Noire followed behind Amiti. As she did, she took a brief look at Dark Pit, who didn't notice her gaze. After a second, she joined Amiti and went through a portal back to the Realm of Oblivion with any remaining forces.

After they left, Luna jumped right down to the bottom of the crater before Dark Pit could raise anything to say.

"Prometheus! Are you alright?!" Luna cried as she got to the bottom of the crater, feeling Prometheus' chest and hoping for a heartbeat. It was still there, much to her relief. He looked almost out cold, half of him buried beneath the earth.

"….er…L-Luna…" he choked out before he fell flat-out unconscious. A stray tear fell down Luna's left cheek as she held Prometheus' head to her chest.

"Oh Prometheus." she spoke softly, just glad that he was alive after that.

**(LINE BREAK)**

Another week had passed after the battle with Noire and Amiti. The knowledge that the other Generals truly were perhaps as strong as Eldran didn't encourage Palutena.

Since the battle, Prometheus had to spend some time healing. Luna rarely left his side as she helped tend to him. Dark Pit was even less talkative than usual, trying to figure out what was up with Noire. She seemed powerful but the other generals didn't seem to like her. Why was that?

"This isn't good." groaned Palutena as she held her head in her hands.

"Sheesh, where's the old optimistic Palutena?" smirked Medusa. "I thought optimism was one of your strong suits."

"Not even I can put a positive spin on this. All these reinforcements are great, but if the Great Generals are truly this strong, then what can we do? Especially without Pit." wondered Palutena.

"Well, I guess that's true. Dark Pit's a good substitute, but that angel of yours is obviously our best shot at winning. Better step up the search then I'd say." said Medusa.

"You should double our search efforts for Pit." said Aki. "There is no true substitute for Pit. He is vital to our cause."

"I agree Aki. It'll be difficult if he's in any human cities, but we must try." said Palutena, feeling a bit more resolve.

"That's what I thought you would say." smirked Medusa.

"Be quiet." chided Palutena.

And with that, the search efforts as well as the battle against the Legion of Time would continue on. Everyone knew the stakes; get stronger, or be destroyed. Searching for Pit and trying to revive Viridi were some of their top priorities.

They had to succeed. There was no future if they didn't.

**(END)**

**And that's that. We finally get to see Amiti fight. Looks like all 3 Generals will be a doozy, and we haven't even gotten to the Monoliths yet. Better hurry back Pit!**

**Chapter is a bit shorter than what you've probably seen recently, but there wasn't really much else to cover.**

**Now, we have an item bio this time. The first I've done since Gae Bolg some time ago. For this one, it's Noire's bow: Fimbulvetr.**

*******Star Bow: Fimbulvetr*******

**Appearance: Resembles a white bow with star symbols on the ends. Light blue strands of energy extend beyond the symbols, making the bow seem larger then it really is.**

**Bio: Fimbulvetr is a "holy" spirit known as the Star Bow. Unlike most weapons that absorb human souls, Fimbulvetr doesn't do it for the sake of destruction. As a being of pure light, it believes in devouring any soul it deems imperfect, sort of a "lawful evil" type. It's humanoid form is human, resembling a woman. It has a "twin", that being the Demon Sword: Ragnarok, which disappeared some time ago.**

*******End bio*******

**Speaking of which, the Paralogues are officially over. We tied up everything we needed from Part 1, so it's now time to start the uphill journey for Pit and Co. against Kronos.**

**So, that means that the next chapter will finally get us back to Pit. I'm sure you've all been looking forward to that. It's finally time for the long-awaited Part 2!**

**Review as always please! Sentinel07, out!**


	27. Chapter 20: Pit Awakens

**Hello people! Sentinel07 here with the long awaited beginning of Part 2!**

**Thanks to everyone who enjoyed the last chapter.**

_Italics means a character's personal thoughts._

**_Bold and italics refers to quotes using telepathy._**

**Make sure you keep reading those AN's at the bottom for anything that might be upcoming.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Kid Icarus or any other referenced video game or anime.**

**Now, let's begin!**

**(BEGIN)**

**Chapter 20: Pit Awakens**

"_Ugh, where…..where am I?"_

Pit awoke to darkness; total darkness. He had no idea how much time had passed. Days? Months? Years? He had no clue. The last thing he remembered was being nearly shredded to pieces by Kronos' Decadent Oblivion spell.

"_Funny….I feel like I've been through this before somehow." _

The last few moments beforehand came back to him; the battle with Viridi, Kronos emerging out of the seal, Viridi's death, and facing Eldran. The memories came back one after another, and none of them made Pit feel any better.

"_I can't believe I let everyone down like that. Not only did I fail to protect Viridi, but then I ignored everyone and got myself in an even deeper hole."_

Just then, Pit saw something in front of him. It was a light. It was small, but he could see it clearly. He could hear voices; faint ones, but they were voices. Could they help him? Pit didn't want to stay in the darkness. So he began to run, reaching out as the light began to get bigger. The voices got louder and louder until…

The full force of sunlight engulfed Pit's face.

"Ugh….ugh….um…Huh?"

Small groans came from Pit's face as his eyes slowly began to flutter open. His eyes felt heavy, as if he had been asleep for some time now. He was lying on his stomach, which was pretty much a good thing that his wings would have been squished otherwise. Trying to adjust to the sunlight, he tried to look around. He appeared to be in some kind of small bedroom, like one of those in a human home. In fact, that was exactly how it looked to Pit right now. This body felt stiff, as if he hadn't moved in a very long time. He hadn't felt this stiff since that one time that he was so tired that he slept for a week.

Then suddenly, the door creaked open behind him.

"Ah, you're finally awake."

Pit heard a feminine voice from behind him. Twisting his head backwards to look, he saw a young teenaged girl smiling at him at the door. She appeared to be a bit taller than Pit, with long blue hair and green eyes. She had a pretty lean frame, not nearly enough to say that she was unhealthy. She wore a sleeveless white shirt, which almost extended long enough to be a short dress, and had dark blue designs along the hem.

Over that shirt, she had a lavender coat that had short sleeves and was tight around her body. It was held in place by a belt she wore, as it only came around 1/3 of her chest on both sides, leaving the remaining 1/3 to just be covered by the shirt. The coat flowed into a skirt, going to about her knees, the middle exposed like the top part of it, and it had slits at the sides as well as one in the back. A purple color outlined the edges of the coat as well as the hem of the short sleeves. Underneath all of her clothes, she wore a tight dark blue, long-sleeved top with matching tights.

Over them, she had lavender gauntlets and leggings both made of cloth. The gauntlets were lavender with purple lining them. However, the gauntlets didn't cover her hands, ending at her wrists and leaving her hands bare. Her leggings were also lavender, beginning at her knee and ending at her ankles. To Pit's surprise, her feet were bare as well.

The girl smiled as Pit had been observing her.

"I'm not going to attack you, you know. If I wanted to do that, I would have done it months ago." she giggled lightly, making Pit blush a bit.

"W-Who are you? And what am I doing here?" asked Pit, still a little tense from his last battle. He felt around his bed but couldn't find his bow anywhere. He had hoped that it would be with him since he had brought it along with the Great Sacred Treasure.

"If you're looking for your bow, it's over there." said the girl, pointing towards a corner of the room, where Pit's bow of Palutena indeed sat.

"Phew." Pit sighed in relief. "A-Anyway, don't change the subject! Who are you?!"

"Who changed the subject?" the girl pondered, although Pit could tell that she was mocking him. "Well, it doesn't matter. My name is Shaba. It's a pleasure."

The girl, apparently named Sheba, gave him a slight curtsey of respect, which made Pit blush even harder. He wasn't exactly used to girls, especially cute ones, giving him respect like that.

"Oh, well I see. My name's Pit….URGH!" Pit groaned as he ended up falling back on the bed, feeling aches throughout his body. Sheba ran over and moved her hands over his torso, light blue magic emerging from her fingers.

"Don't try to move too much. You were an itch, heck maybe a centimeter, away from death when I found you. Your energy was so low that even I could sense you if I didn't happen to see you." explained Sheba.

Pit gave her an odd look through his discomfort at her explanation.

"What do you mean that my energy was so low? You mean you can sense energy? You can't be human if you could." said Pit.

"No, I'm not." Sheba smiled at him as she continued giving him basic first-aid. "By that, I meant that you barely even had an energy signature. You know, the kind that every special being has, be they a god, angel, or any kind of deity."

"Must have happened when I tried using Warp." said Pit. "Does that mean that no one has come for me?"

"I haven't seen anyone. Not Palutena or anyone else for that matter." said Sheba. Pit's eyes widened as he immediately sat up.

"Hey, don't sit up so fast! You'll tear something!" she exclaimed, but Pit wasn't listening.

"You know Lady Palutena?! Just who are you if you're not human?!" Pit nearly yelled. He wasn't in the mood for patience, especially given all that he just went through. If this girl was playing him along, he didn't like it.

However, his yelling seemed to attract someone else's attention.

"Ms. Sheba, are you okay?" spoke a young girly voice from the other side of the door. Sheba turned to face the closed door.

"It's alright Maya. We'll be down in second!" called Sheba back before she returned to Pit. "You really shouldn't yell. There may not be a lot of people here, but you should mind your manners."

Pit groaned at the girl, knowing that she was right. There was no time to be losing his mind. He had to figure out what was going on and get back to Palutena. Thoughts of his failure with Viridi still went through his mind, and he knew that he had to do something to make up for it.

"Seems like you've calmed down now." smiled Sheba as she put a delicate hand on Pit's shoulder. "I know you went through much. I heard everything about what happened at Yggdrasill."

Once again, Pit met eyes with her, demanding some answers. She apparently was up to current events somehow.

"So who are you exactly if you're not human? And how do you know about Yggdrasill?" asked Pit more calmly.

"I'm not a goddess if that's what you're wondering. I'm not really a demigod either. To be fully honest, it's hard to explain what I am. However, I assure you that I'm not your enemy. I'd like to help if that's alright with you." she smiled again, although this time it was a bit of a shy smile.

Pit wasn't too sure about what to think. His instincts told him that this girl was no enemy of his, and that she could be trusted. Then again, many people qualified as being capable of trust in Pit's mind, or better or for worse.

"So, I guess since you have some relation to the gods, that's how you know about Yggdrasill?" asked Pit.

"Yes. It was destroyed by Kronos right? Along with the goddess of nature?" asked Sheba, although her tone suggested that she already knew the answer.

"Yes….." Pit trailed off as he thought again of Viridi's death. She was a dear friend to him after all. Not to mention that the Earth would start to wither without her.

"Anyway, you're still too weak to go anywhere right now. Your friends aren't in immediate danger. They've managed to hold up well against Kronos' Legion of Time." said Sheba. Pit gave a sigh of relief. He was glad that the others were holding up well without him so far. However, that reminded Pit of something.

"Wait a second! How long have I been out?!" Pit asked, getting up in Sheba's face.

"About 3 months, give or take a day or two." she explained. Pit gave another sigh of relief. He was glad that years hadn't past like with what happened with the Chaos Kin.

Just then, he heard footsteps running towards the room. He wondered if that was the voice he heard earlier. Sheba didn't seem to worry as the door opened slightly.

"Ms. Sheba, can we have lunch….." the girl started before she looked at Pit, a giddy smile forming. "Yay, Mr. Angel woke up!"

The door fully opened to reveal a little girl, around 1o years old or so. She had brown hair tied into pigtails, and wore simple clothing for an average girl. However, something immediately triggered in Pit's brain when he looked at the girl.

That hair. That appearance. It all looked very familiar. An old image in his brain kicked in, back when he had discovered that he was trapped in a ring….

Pit gasped as he came to a realization. This was the girl who picked him up as a ring all those years ago!

He didn't get much time to react as the little girl came up and hugged him fiercely.

"Hello Mr. Angel! My name's Maya! What's your name?!" she cried happily. Pit eagerly felt the need to breathe as the girl squeezed him.

"Need…..air…" he breathed out.

"Maya, let him go. He's still injured after all." said Sheba. Maya immediately let him go, allowing Pit to breathe again.

"Sorry Mr. Angel." the girl apologized.

"It's….no big….deal." Pit breathed out as he caught his breath. "Anyway, I'm Pit, servant of the goddess Palutena!"

"Okay Mr. Pit!" she giggled cutely. "Anyway, I'm hungry. Can we eat lunch?" she asked.

"Sure, since our guest just woke up and all. He's probably really hungry." smiled Sheba as she got up from her seat. Maya ran back downstairs as Sheba turned to Pit again.

"I assume you're hungry after three months in bed?" asked Sheba. Pit's stomach immediately growled, as if to confirm just that.

"You bet. I feel like I could eat a whole mountain." smiled Pit, feeling a little bit better given the circumstances. However, something then dawned on Pit. Where was he anyway?

"Wait a second. Where am I anyway?" asked Pit. Sheba just gave him another smile.

"I'll tell you over lunch. This place is known for its seafood." she said.

"I see. Well cool, you got fish and chips?" asked Pit.

"Absolutely."

"WHOO-HOO!"

**(LINE BREAK) **

A little while later, Sheba prepared for them all some of the local seafood. Pit hadn't had it in quite some time and eagerly began to wolf it down.

"Phew, now that was tasty!" Pit grinned.

"Well, it's nice to know you have a strong appetite." smiled Sheba as she ate hers at a slower pace. Pit took this opportunity to look over her again, particularly her lack of footwear.

"Um, pardon my intrusion, by why don't you wear boots or something? Your feet can get hurt by walking around like that." said Pit.

Sheba shook her head at him.

"I do wear shoes, just not inside the house. It's messy when I do that." said Sheba. Pit gave her a cheeky grin.

"Ah, I see. I was beginning to think you were a hippie."

**SMACK!**

And just like that, Pit found himself flying back in his chair, falling backwards onto the ground hard, a red handprint on the left side of his face. Sheba huffed at him.

"You say that again and it'll be worse next time." she spat at him.

"Ouch." muttered Maya as she just watched.

"_Man and I thought Viridi and Iris punched hard." _thought Pit. He slowly made his way back to the table, feeling a little wobbly after that. Sheba had some real strength in those arms of hers. Pit made a mental note to not make that same mistake again.

"Sorry. I didn't mean that as an insult." Pit groaned. Shaba gave him a small smile and did a little first-aid on his check.

"And I'm sorry that I hit you that hard. Just as a word of advice, you really should watch what you say around girls." she said.

"_Noted."_ thought Pit.

So with that, the trio went back to lunch. As it went on, Maya began asking lots of questions about angels and all that other stuff. Pit wasn't quite sure what to say, but he answered as much as he could. Obviously, she knew Sheba was a deity of some sorts.

"So, now what?" asked Pit.

"Well, what do you think? I imagine we've got many problems to deal with." Sheba sighed.

"Well, we'll have to beat the Legion of Time somehow. Also, we have to get Viridi back. I gotta get her back. It's the only way I can make up for letting everyone down last time." said Pit with some resolution.

"Are you sure? I don't think anyone holds it against you." said Sheba.

"Well, I hold myself to certain standards." huffed Pit. "By the way, so where is this place?"

"This is Nodion, an island somewhere off the coast of Angel Land." explained Sheba.

**(AN: Basically, Nodion is as far away from Angel Land as Hawaii is from the continental United States)**

"Woah! I'm on an island!" exclaimed Pit. "Wow, that Warp spell really sent me flying didn't it?"

"Indeed it did. I found you just outside the outskirts. Most of the village has fled though in light of the Legion of Time descending upon the world. It's pretty much just Maya and myself now." explained Sheba.

Pit took in this new information. He had to get back into the fray somehow. Now that he was awake, he had to join the fight once again.

Suddenly, Sheba tensed up, as if a lightning bolt just went through her.

"What is it?" asked Pit. Sheba immediately got up from her seat.

"Legion of Time. I sense monsters coming. They must have sensed your energy when you woke up." said Sheba, immediately running over to a desk where she picked up a pair of pair of knuckles that she clasped around her fists and wrists. They were mostly a gold color with a little bit of red. Pit could make out some writing on them, but couldn't tell what they said.

"What are those?" he asked.

"Falchion." said Sheba as she flashed her weapons. "The name of my knuckles. Neat huh?"

Pit gave her a deadpan look. "Falchion? Are you kidding me? Is this author blatantly ripping off Fire Emblem?"

"Oh be quiet. He's allowed to reference his favorite game series." scoffed Sheba as she tightened the knuckles a bit to her liking and slipped on her lavender shoes from the side. "All right, no more talk. We have to make sure those Time soldiers don't harm Maya, since she can't fight. Let's only hope one of the Great Generals isn't around."

"I agree." said Pit. With that, he ran back upstairs and retrieved his Sacred Bow of Palutena. He was still a bit sore, but he had no choice but to go through with this fight. No longer did he want someone to suffer because of his mistakes.

"Alright, ready to party?" asked Sheba, knocking her fists against each other.

"Let's party." agreed Pit as the two of them ran outside the human house. As Sheba expected, numerous Time soldiers were prowling around, many of them noticing Sheba and Pit already.

"Wow, quite a lot of them." said Sheba as she raised her fists.

"I don't see Eldran or the others." said Pit as he looked around.

"Well, that's good for us then." muttered Sheba.

Anyway, the Time soldiers began to rush forward. Pit's first fight since waking up was here, and he wasn't going to allow anyone else to die for his sake.

**(END)**

**And with that, Pit is back! And he's got new companions with him!**

**So yeah, Maya is my name for the little girl that appears at the beginning of Uprising's Chapter 18. I felt like doing a little something with her, so that's why she's here.**

**So, today's character bio is our new character: the enigmatic Sheba:**

*******Sheba*******

**Age: Appears 15 (at least a 2000 years old or so)**

**Appearance: Long blue hair, green eyes, a bit shorter than Pyrrha and Luna. I described her clothes earlier in the chapter and I really don't want to repeat it all over again. You know where to look. **

**Japanese seiyu: Maaya Sakamoto**

**English VA: Stephanie Sheh  
**

**Bio: Sheba is a rather enigmatic girl that Pit meets upon waking up. She found him after his battle at Yggdrasill and cared for him until he recovered. She seems to possess a solemn energy and possesses a good deal of strength. She fights with hand-to-hand combat although she generally fights with fist-related weapons to augment her strength. She's well balanced between both physical and mental strength. Her magic mostly focuses on fire, wind, and lightning.**

**Her knuckles of choice are called Falchion. It used to be a mighty sword Sheba inherited long ago, before she accidentally broke it and it was reforged to her preferred weapon style.**

*******End bio*******

**Well, that is that. Part 2 is under way. Hope you all enjoy the start of it and review.**

**Sentinel07, out!**


	28. Chapter 21: Interdimensional Turmoil

**Hello people! Sentinel07 here with Chapter 21 of Kid Icarus: The Great War.**

**Thanks to everyone who enjoyed the last chapter.**

**Also, Kid Icarus: The Great War has now surpassed 6000 total views. Also, on Wednesday, this fic had 272 views in one day, a new record. Thanks a bunch! :)**

_Italics means a character's personal thoughts._

**_Bold and italics refers to quotes using telepathy._**

**Make sure you keep reading those AN's at the bottom for anything that might be upcoming.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Kid Icarus or any other referenced video game or anime.**

**Now, let's begin!**

**(BEGIN)**

**Chapter 21: Interdimensional Turmoil**

The Time soldiers, consisting of the beast-like Wildebeests and the flying Tallons, descended upon Pit and Sheba, who braced for the impact. Pit was feeling quite unsure. After all, he was fighting for the first time in three months. Heck, he had barely even been awake for an hour. Oh well, duty calls as he would always say.

"You sure those fists of yours are going to be effective?" asked Pit. Sheba smirked at him.

"You should worry about whether you will be effective or not." she retorted.

"Ouch." muttered Pit.

Right at that moment, the monsters caught up to the two and the battle was on. One beast pounced on Pit, aiming for his still-sore torso, but he was able to duck out of the way, firing an arrow and impaling the beast through the head.

"One down." he groaned as he looked at the hoard in front of him.

Tallons descended upon Sheba, who raised her fists up in defense. Right when they got within distance, it was go time!

"Steel Swarm!" Magic coursed through Sheba's fists as she thrusted forward, sending a flurry of white attacks at the tallons. The blasts impacted the monsters, wounding them as Sheba ran in for an attack. With another punch, she send a tallon flying, spinning around to kick another who was coming in from behind. The monsters continued to come in from all angles, forcing Sheba to keep moving constantly.

"Ugh, kind of annoying when they all come around at once." she muttered as she jumped high into the air, getting herself at least a little distance from the monsters; magic beginning to well up as she brought her hands together.

"Raging winds come and smite my enemy! Turbulence!"

Gusts of razor sharp winds surrounded a group of monsters, cutting them through them like a butter knife. The wind attack left 3 of the monsters dead, leaving many others to rise towards Sheba. Gritting her teeth, Sheba blocked one attack from a tallon, but couldn't block the next one as another grazed her leg. Wincing in discomfort, Sheba fell back down to the ground, landing on her feet as she readied herself again.

Meanwhile, Pit was rolling left and right as wildebeests charged him from all sides. Using his bow's twin blades, he was able to keep them at a distance, although his movements still weren't up to their normal speed. His months in bed no doubt left him rusty.

"Drat! Need to focus!" Pit grunted as he readied himself again. The monsters weren't about to let him rest; they were already charging again. Pit rolled to the side, narrowly avoiding a slash from one of the beasts, firing multiple arrows as he slid backwards. The arrows impaled the beasts as they let out howls of pain before falling. Catching his breath briefly, Pit turned and blocked another frontal attack by a beast, although the momentum forced him to the ground as the beast roared at him.

"Hey, I'm not your chew toy!"

Pit fought back and pushed the beast off, spinning around and slashing the beast. He jumped backwards a bit as more monsters came at him. Pit could hardly believe how tenacious they were. Not even the Underworld troops were as fierce as these troops.

"I guess they reflect their master." groaned Pit.

Meanwhile, Sheba continued attacking left and right as monsters came around from both above and behind her. Quite frankly, it was starting to get a bit annoying. There was just so many of them, but they weren't really that strong. There were just a lot of them.

"This. Is. Really. Annoying!" she growled as she kicked another monster away.

"Wind Blade!" she cried out as her weapon sharpened, slashing through monster after monster as she rushed through them.

"You can do it Mr. Pit, Ms. Sheba!"

Sheba gulped as she heard that voice, seeing Maya poking her head through the door. She felt like facepalming herself. Didn't Maya realize that these things would tear her apart?

"Maya, get back inside now!" called Sheba.

However, it was too late. The monsters had already seen Maya, and began locking in on her. With a look of fright on her fact, Maya immediately closed the door and tried to lock it as the monsters began charging after her.

"Oh no you don't!" cried Pit as he jumped in front of the charging monsters, unleashing more arrows that impaled them on their heads.

"Maya! You alright?!" Pit called.

"Y-Yes sir!" she called back. Sighing in relief, Pit turned his attention back to the monsters. Thankfully, it looked like they were starting to finally decrease in numbers.

"Alright, I think we finally have them on the run!" cried Pit as he charged forward, shooting down more monsters.

"Don't let up yet." called Sheba.

Luckily for Pit, they were able to take care of the remaining monsters. As Pit felled the final monster, he saw down in relief.

"Phew, that was a little too close." he said.

"Not bad for your first battle in over three months." smiled Sheba. Pit gave her a cheeky grin.

"Well, Lady Palutena and the others wouldn't let me hear the end of it if I had lost." said Pit before suddenly looking alarmed. "Oh right, Lady Palutena! I need to tell her and everyone else that I'm alive!"

"We'll travel to Skyworld as soon as we're able. How about that? You're still not fully recovered after all." recommended Sheba.

"Sigh, well I guess so." said Pit. He was disappointed but Sheba was right. He wouldn't be much use if he came back still broken up.

"Are they gone?" asked Maya as she opened the door again. Sheba smiled at her.

"Yes, they're gone now." she said. "However, we probably shouldn't stay. I would imagine that they'll notice that a whole brigade of monsters has been destroyed."

"Good point." agreed Pit.

However, unfortunately for them, things would soon get out of hand. Really out of hand.

Suddenly, Pit began feeling very weird. It was an odd sense of weird, if that made any sense. His vision felt like it was getting blurry, and it was hard to keep his balance. Looking to the side, he could see Sheba and Maya looking a little odd too, with Maya looking she was being crushed by something.

"Maya!" Pit called as he tried to get over. However, his movements felt hindered.

"W-What's going on here?!" called Pit as he got over to Maya and tried to hold her up. Sheba had a worried look on her face.

"It's molecular distortion!" she called out in fear.

"What?!" cried Pit.

"The…the space boundary seems to be wavering! This isn't good at all!"

Pit watched as everything around him blurred. Then, around all of them, some kind of space portal, or rip or whatever, seemed to open, drawing all three of them inside. Pit had never known such darkness before in his life.

**(LINE BREAK)**

The distortion outbreak on Nodion sent energy waves that were felt even in Skyworld, surprising Palutena and Medusa as they were in the temple.

"What was that?" asked Palutena.

"I feel a distortion in the air. Almost as if one of the space-time boundaries is starting to fall or something." said Medusa.

"A space-time distortion? Has it already gotten that far?" wondered Palutena.

"Honestly, I'm surprised it didn't start sooner. Eres seems to have kept things at bay for a while, but it's only a matter of time before things start crashing down." said Medusa.

"And it's not like any of us have the power to stop something like that." said Palutena.

"Indeed. It's only in one place from what I can sense. However, might not be too much longer until it spreads." said Medusa.

**(LINE BREAK)**

All around Pit seemed to be distortion. He couldn't make out much of anything. If he didn't know any better, it felt like another dimension entirely.

"Ugh…where is this? Sheba…Maya?" Pit called out.

"We're over here!" called Sheba. Pit turned his head to look at the two girls. Sheba looked like she was hanging on, but Maya was out cold.

"What's wrong with her?! And what's going on around here?!" asked Pit.

"The space-time boundary seems to be failing around here. The sheer pressure is crushing Maya. She'll die if we don't fix this soon." said Sheba, trying to keep herself conscious.

"But why is this happening?" groaned Pit.

"Kronos' influence is beginning to spread. With the goddess of nature gone and him unsealed, the very boundary of the Earth is starting to crumble. This space will continue to expand in other places if it isn't stopped." said Sheba.

Pit was really confused as to what she meant by Viridi not being around caused this, but he stowed that question away for now. They had to get out, for Maya's sake.

"Here," said Sheba as she tossed Maya over to Pit. "I'll try to do what I can. Just hold on for a second."

"What are you going to do?" asked Pit.

"You'll see." said Sheba, not in the mood to talk much longer as she brought her hands together and began to chant to herself.

"To my left lies the heart of ages. To my right lies the power of gods. The blue wind flows, encircling eternal time."

As Pit watched her chant, something caught the edge of his eye. Still holding on to Maya, he turned around, seeing a tiny red glow in the distance.

"What's that?" asked Pit. He didn't know why, but something about the light intrigued him. After making sure Maya was latched on to him tightly enough, Pit began trying to swim through the space rift. The atmosphere, if you could call it that, was very dense. It felt like being underwater, and the air was rather thin. Still, Pit didn't let that bother him as he tried to reach towards the light.

"Pit, what are you doing?!"

Pit cringed a bit as he heard Sheba yelling at him, het hands still coursing with energy.

"Sorry, but I'm trying to get that light!" Pit called back.

"We don't have time for your curiosity!" Sheba yelled back, attempting to "swim" up to Pit.

Still, Pit wanted to see what it was. Something called out to him. Like if he passed this up, something bad would happen. He wasn't sure. After all, he wasn't one to think about this stuff often. Still, he reached up towards the light, which seemed to get smaller as he got closer. Struggling, he reached his hand out forward and tried to grab the light.

However, right at that moment, the space seemed to become even more unstable. Pit started getting knocked around, getting pushed away from his target. At that moment, Sheba caught up to him and took Maya back, energy still ready to go.

"I think I'm ready to stabilize this place!" she called to him. However, now free of Maya, Pit struggled to get back to that red light. After recoiling a bit from another instability shockwave, he got closer and enclosed his hands around the light. It was so blurry that he couldn't make it out.

"What is this?" he asked himself.

"No time for that! Get over here!" called Sheba.

"R-Right!" said Pit as he got back over, the space feeling ever more unstable as he did. Taking Maya back briefly, Sheba concentrated again, finishing her incantation.

"Time Key!"

At once, mystical energy erupted around Sheba, engulfing the distorted space. It was so bright that Pit had to shield his eyes from it. As it got brighter, Pit began to feel fresh air finally flowing around him. He watched as the space slowly stabilized, the darkness beginning to disappear as he once again saw blue skies.

"Is…it is over?" asked Pit. He looked down at Maya, her heart still beating.

"I think…I think It got it settled for now. Phew, never thought I'd have to do that." said Sheba, huffing in exhaustion.

"So you can control space-time to some extent?" asked Pit.

"Kind of. It's a gift." replied Sheba. Pit nodded in understanding.

"But that was pretty awesome. The way you got us out of that time hole. It was cool!" said Pit.

"Heh heh, thanks." laughed Sheba. She then looked Maya over, seeing that she was fine and that she just needed some rest.

"Well, that aside, I guess I've got explaining to do. There's a lot of work to be done." said Sheba.

"All right, then start talking." said Pit as he took a seat on the ground.

**(LINE BREAK)**

"I feel the distortion beginning to dissipate." said Medusa.

"That's weird. What could be happening?" asked Palutena.

"Who knows. You might want to send someone to take a look." suggested Medusa.

"That's a good idea." agreed Palutena. "Dark Pit, Iris, I need both of you to come to the central hall.

**(LINE BREAK)**

"Well, to start things off, I've been around for about 2000 years or so." Sheba began. Oddly enough, that didn't surprise Pit.

"2000 years. That means you've probably been around since the beginning of the current age." said Pit.

"You're well informed." smiled Sheba.

"Well of course. The current age was when Lady Palutena and other gods of this realm were born, and she also said that that was when creator gods decided to leave Earth alone for good." said Pit.

"That's right. You know your history." said Sheba. "Anyway, thanks to that time, I know a thing or two about Kronos. Because of his actions, soon the very boundary of space-time will crumble."

"But what does Viridi have to do with that?" asked Pit.

"Being the goddess of nature, Viridi also provides stability to Earth. Of course, if it wasn't for Kronos, it would be a rather redundant skill. However, with Kronos' influence spreading across Earth and Viridi dead, the boundary of space-time is starting to crumble. It would have started weeks ago, but Eres has been able to hold things steady for a while."

"No kidding." muttered Pit. That was some pretty heavy stuff he just heard. It made Viridi sound even more important to the world. "So, if I understand what you're saying, we absolutely have to bring Viridi back, right?"

"Correct." said Sheba. "Of course, that's not our only problem. As you probably know, our current weapons aren't much of a match for him. My Falchion alone won't get me far, and you got blasted even with the Great Sacred Treasure."

"Thanks for the reminder." groaned Pit.

"It just means we'll have to work that much harder." said Sheba. "Thankfully, we seem to have gotten lucky."

"How so?"

"Show me that red gem you found in the rift." said Sheba. Pit did as he was told, bringing out the gem he found. "How lucky indeed. This is the Fire Gem. One of a set of three that was said to be lost long ago. I have no idea how it ended up between dimensions, but that's good for us."

"Fire gem?"

"Yes. There are two others: the Ice gem and the Light gem that complete the set. They work like a key for what may help us with Kronos."

"And that would be?"

"Well, the Great Sacred Treasure was made out of a strong material right?"

"Yeah. I think Dyntos once told us that Orichalcum is the strongest metal on Earth."

"Yes, on Earth. I actually don't know a whole lot, but I hear that that there is another metal out there, among the stars, that's stronger than Orichalcum. Perhaps it can be used to make something stronger."

"Really?! That sounds awesome!"

"Perhaps, but it won't be easy. Legend has it that it's in the deep space dungeon, known as the Ouroboros."

"The Ouroboros?"

"Supposedly, it's a twisting maze of a dungeon, and the gems serve as a key. I'm afraid that that's all I know about it."

"Don't worry. That's plenty of info for me." Pit smiled at her. Sheba lightly laughed.

"Well, you don't seem to need much convincing." said Sheba as she got up. "However, before we even decide to get into that stuff, we need to focus on bringing back Viridi. Without her, the Earth will get a whole lot worse, with or without Kronos."

"Right. Any ideas on that front?" asked Pit.

"Honestly, I really don't. However, Eres was her caretaker and a good friend of her mother, Mila. Perhaps she knows something that can be useful." suggested Sheba.

"Sounds like a plan." agreed Pit as he got up from his seat. Maya was just coming to, after being knocked out by the dimensional rift.

"Huh….what….happened?" she asked.

"Don't worry. All the bad guys are gone!" said Pit while giving her a thumbs up. The little girl cheered as they celebrated the win, although they both knew that they couldn't stay long.

"So, what should we do with Maya? We can't bring her around to look for the gems." said Pit.

"That's correct. I would imagine Palutena should be charitable enough to allow her residence for a while." said Sheba.

"Yeah, good idea. I don't think Lady Palutena could turn down someone in need." said Pit.

"Good." said Sheba. After that, she tensed a bit and then smiled. Pit raised an eyebrow at the look on her face.

"Looks like that'll be sooner than expected." she said as she looked to the left. As Pit looked there, he began to sense two figures rushing towards their location. Two very familiar energies. The look on his face turned to excitement as Dark Pit and Iris came into view.

"Woah, place looks like a dump." said Dark Pit.

"I don't see any rift. I guess it passed or something." said Iris.

"Dimensional rifts don't just pass like a thunderstorm." said Dark Pit. Right at that moment, he looked down, sensing something familiar. This eyes briefly widened, and before he could speak.

"PIT!"

Iris shot down from the sky and fiercely hugged Pit, laughing happily as she did.

"I'm so happy to see you alive!" she cried out. Pit ended up getting spun around by Iris' hug but hugged back happily.

"Hey guys! I'm so glad to see you!" cheered Pit.

"Well, I figured you were still alive somewhere. It was just a matter of when." shrugged Dark Pit nonchalantly. Pit gave a cheeky smile at his twin. Then, Iris noticed Sheba, who waved at her. She narrowed her eyes at Pit.

"Um Pit, who's this girl and what are you doing here with her?" she asked as if there was a hidden threat in there.

"Huh? What do you mean?" asked Pit. However, he then took a quick look at Dark Pit who grinned and had an evil glint in his eye.

"Wow Pit-stain, I'm kind of disappointed in you." spoke Dark Pit, putting his hands behind his back. "For the last three months, we've been fighting our butts off. Yet here you are, on an island with a strange girl."

Instantly, Pit started blushing heavily and moving frantically. "W-Wait a second! I-It's nothing like that!"

However, he froze as he looked at Iris, a cold glare on her face.

"…..He's right…Pit…what are you doing here with that girl?" she asked slowly. However, Pit didn't get to answer before Dark Pit added more fuel to the fire.

"You should know better. War isn't the time to be taking advantage of someone."

"W-WOAH WOAH! I'm telling you it's not like that! She just helped take care of me so…."

"Ah, so you did take advantage of her. For shame Pit. Was "taking care" of you all she did?" said Dark Pit as he shook his head. However, Pit stopped moving frantically, as he soon felt an evil aura. He turned his head in fear as he literally saw flames erupting around Iris.

"YOU IDIOT!"

Iris immediately pounced on him, grabbing him in a headlock and slamming them both to the ground.

"We're fighting our butts off and you're vacationing with some girl?! How could you?!"

"OUCH! Hey cut that out! Let me explain! OUCH! Not the face! OW! Stop hitting the sacred buns! YEOW! Not the sacred nuts either!"

Dark Pit just snickered to himself. Sheba wasn't quite sure what to make of this, but she figured it was best to not interrupt the Underworld leader right now. Maya just clapped at the onslaught in front of them.

**(LINE BREAK)**

Meanwhile, in a part of the Underworld that even this fanfic author doesn't know, one particular soul that still wandered around with no body observed the spectacle in delight, feeling like tearing up in joy.

"Ah, poor Pitty Pat…*sniff* I'm so proud of you Pittoo."

**(END)**

**And that's another chapter in the books. We've got a long checklist of things to do here in Part 2 before we get to the final battle with Kronos. Boy, it's going to be something alright. **

**So there you go folks! Your one Hades cameo for the fic. I figured that, if anyone would be proud of how Dark Pit just trolled Pit, it would be Hades. :)**

**Anyhoo, today's character is Maya:**

*******Maya*******

**Age: 10**

**Appearance: Similar to Uprisings, although obviously older in terms of both body and clothes.**

**Japanese seiyu: Mika Itou**

**English VA: Heather Hogan**

**Bio: Maya was the little girl who found Pit as a ring during the Chaos Kin saga. Having lost her parents during that war, she wandered around until Sheba found her, acting as a sort of guardian to the girl. She's very optimistic and treats everyone with respect, much to their chagrin sometimes.**

******End bio*******

**And there you go. Another chapter down, so review and let me know what you think.**

**Sentinel07, out!**


	29. Chapter 22: Catching Up

Hello people! Sentinel07 here with Chapter 22 of Kid Icarus: The Great War.

Thanks to everyone who enjoyed the last chapter.

_Italics means a character's personal thoughts._

_Bold and italics refers to quotes using telepathy._

Make sure you keep reading those AN's at the bottom for anything that might be upcoming. Also, in case you don't know, there has been a bit of a revision to Paralogue 4, featuring a much better battle. Check it out if you can.

Disclaimer: I don't own Kid Icarus or any other referenced video game or anime.

Now, let's begin!

(BEGIN)

**Chapter 22: Catching Up**

"Pit!"

Palutena cried as she embraced Pit, so glad to see him back. Pit smiled as he hugged her back as well. After the events on the island, everyone flew back to Skyworld, specifically Palutena's Temple. After Dark Pit revealed that he made up what he said, Iris immediately apologized to Pit, while also delivering a punch to Dark Pit's head.

"It's good to see you Lady Palutena." said Pit as he let go.

After they had gotten back, Pit had explained everything he knew, along with Sheba introducing herself and saying her side of the story too.

"I can't thank you enough for saving Pit." said Palutena.

"It's no problem really." smiled Sheba. "This is quite the place you've got here."

"I try." laughed Palutena. However, right after she said that, she got a bit more serious. "So you say that it was you who closed that special distortion? That isn't a power that just anyone has. I can't even do that."

"Are you suspicious of me?" asked Sheba with a slight teasing tone. Palutena waved her arms a bit.

"Oh I'm not trying to accuse you. It's just that….." Palutena trailed off. Sheba just laughed a bit at her reaction.

"Don't worry, it's okay. I'm aware that my powers aren't exactly common." she admitted. As this happened, they had asked Palutena if she could take Maya in for now. As Pit expected, Palutena had zero problems with allowing the girl to stay temporarily.

"So, it sounds like we have a lot of things on our plate." sighed Palutena as she took a seat. Right now, she, Pit, Sheba, Dark Pit, and Iris were the only ones in the hall. Pit looked left and right for the others.

"Um, where's Prometheus? Where's anyone for that matter?" he asked.

"Eres is at the Overworld Sanctuary. Arlon and Phosphora are with her. Prometheus, Pyrrha, and Luna have been spending most of their time away from Skyworld since two months ago." said Palutena.

"What happened two months ago?" asked Pit.

"Dark Pit, Luna, and Prometheus ended up in a battle with Amiti and Noire; Kronos' other Great Generals. It wasn't pretty how it ended." sighed Palutena.

"Pittoo got defeated?" asked Pit. Dark Pit scoffed at the remark.

"I'll get her next time. I'm not going to be humiliated a second time." said Dark Pit.

"I thought it was also because you had things to ask her." pondered Iris. Dark Pit sighed.

"Perhaps I do, but defeating her is top priority. That's why I've been training non-stop since then." he said.

"So, are the others doing the same thing?" asked Pit.

"Perhaps. They haven't talked much." said Palutena. She then turned her attention to the gem Pit acquired. "So Sheba says that we need to collect 2 more of these and then you can enter the Ouroboros?"

"It's a rumor, but I believe it to be true." said Sheba, all serious now.

"So where are the other gems?" asked Palutena.

"From what I hear, the Ice Gem is in the north, beyond the Aurora Glacier. The Light Gem is the hardest; it's supposedly at the Ends of the Earth." explained Sheba. Palutena raised a hand to her hand.

"The Ends of the Earth? Why did it have to be that place?" she groaned.

"What's wrong with it?" asked Pit.

"It's a treacherous place, far away from any human settlement. Legend has it that it's like a giant death trap. So many people have tried to brave it and die that it's like a giant graveyard." Palutena further explained.

"That….sounds morbid." sighed Pit.

"By the way," Palutena turned to Sheba. "How do you know all about this?" she asked.

"Well, I have been around since the beginning of the current era; about 2000 years ago. That's how old you are as well, so I don't see the problem." said Sheba.

"2000 years, and yet I've never even heard of you." said Palutena.

"I'm pretty good at drifting. It's kind of necessary." said Sheba. Those words caught everyone's attention.

"Why's it necessary? You running from something?" asked Iris.

"Something like that. I'd rather not talk about it." said Sheba, adamant on that part. The others looked at each other but didn't say any more about it.

"A-Anyway," Pit decided to get the conversation moving again. "We don't have much choice. If this Ouroboros place has what we need to defeat Kronos, then we should take it."

"For once, I agree." said Dark Pit. "The problem is how do we balance those needs with our other needs."

"That's right. First of all, we need to bring the goddess of nature back." said Sheba. "Eres can't hold it for long, and the dimension may start collapsing once she runs out of energy."

"But what can we do?" asked Iris.

"Well, I'm not sure myself. I think we'll need to talk to Eres directly to get anywhere on that front." said Sheba.

"I agree. Let's take a trip to the Overworld Sanctuary after a little break." offered Palutena.

"I like the sound of that." said Pit. Then something came to mind for him. "Hey, you guys mentioned that you've been getting some help during these last few months?

"Yes. They've been quite helpful." smiled Iris. Pit raised an eyebrow in confusion. Suddenly, he felt as if the temperature was rising quickly. He heard a boom as a nearly door was burned down, with a figure walking through.

"Heh…sorry about that Palutena. Sometimes Pyrrhon can't keep his hands off flammables." Pyrrhon sheepishly laughed as his hand held the flamed remains of the door. Palutena just sighed.

"Pyrrhon, that's 12 doors you've burned down. We don't have an infinite supply of those." Palutena face palmed. However, they all heard a loud noise as Pit's chair hit the ground, his voice stammering.

"W-What the heck?! What's he doing here?!" Pit stammered out. Pyrrhon raised his hands in front of him.

"Woah, calm down there, little angel. Pyrrhon is a reformed man." he chuckled.

"Why do I have a hard time believing that?" Pit groaned. "And how did you get back anyway?"

"Akihisa, the son of Thor, found him and brought him back. Apparently, Pyrrhon claims that Akihisa royally chewed him out upon seeing him." smiled Iris.

"Akihisa?" asked Pit.

"Another ally of ours. He's around here somewhere." explained Dark Pit.

"And of course, there's one other." smiled Palutena.

"And who would that be?" asked Pit. As if on cue, a dark portal appeared off to the side, allowing a certain goddess of darkness to walk out.

"Ugh, finally. Thanatos and Pandora really are a pain sometimes." moaned Medusa. Pit was, almost literally, petrified on the spot.

"M-M-M-M-Medusa?!" Pit stammered out, his face all pale as his eyes rolled backwards. Almost immediately, he fainted on the spot.

"Medusa! What have I said about petrifying people?!" chided Palutena.

"Oh please. I didn't do anything. The stupid angel did that on his own." sighed Medusa.

It took some time before Pit came to, overwhelmed by both Pyrrhon and Medusa appearing together like this. Everyone tried to explain it to him, which only made him more confused as to why they were even fighting alongside Palutena.

"So why are you guys fighting alongside us?" asked Pit.

"I've got nothing better to do. Besides, I'm not stupid enough to pick a fight with Kronos on my own." sneered Medusa.

"Stow your fear, Pit! We gods must band together to face this new evil!" declared Pyrrhon, making everyone else just sigh.

"Believe it or not, he's actually a bit more tolerable than he used to be." said Palutena. Pit groaned at this. This was a bit too much for him to handle; Pyrrhon alone was bad enough, but Medusa? No way would he be able to get any sleep around here now.

"Anyway, I believe we should talk with Eres. We need to get a move on with bringing Viridi back." said Sheba.

"I agree. I still haven't had a proper discussion with her since my own war." said Iris. Everyone was in agreement on that front.

Soon enough, Pit, Dark Pit, Sheba, and Iris were ready to go, with Palutena supervising them. However, right before they left, something else came to mind.

"So, where is exactly is Prometheus right now?" Pit asked. Palutena smiled at him.

"Where else would someone called the Dread Reaper train?"

**(LINE BREAK)**

In a dark room, Prometheus sat in wait, reminiscing over the past two months. He had gone through more than he ever had before.

_*****__ Flashback, two months earlier__*****_

The Reaper Fortress stood tall over Prometheus as he approached the front entrance. This wasn't exactly a place that had been visited a lot. Certainly not much since Pit invaded it years ago. Iris kept regular maintenance though. Anyway, Prometheus had business to attend to here, so he casually walked in, barely even bothering to knock as he knocked the door open.

"Anyone home?" he smirked.

Soon enough, the reapers that inhabited the fortress roared out of the walls, screeching at Prometheus, not that he really cared that much. Prometheus calmly asked to see the leader, the Great Reaper. Even the reapers knew his power and they wouldn't be able to take him in a straight fight. Reluctantly, the reapers lead him towards the central chamber. There, the Great Reaper, in a much smaller size mind you, was laying there, his giant scythe at the ready.

"Dread….Reaper…" growled the Great Reaper. Prometheus.

"Hello. Long time no see. I presume you know what's going on, right?" he said.

"Reapers…only care about death." growled the reaper.

"Well that's great, so do I most of the time. However, in case you haven't noticed, the rest of the world has issues. Long story short, I need a place for a little training. You guys care to do the honors?" he smirked. Manners he did not have.

"Grrrrr….you have nerve, "Dread Reaper"…." he growled.

"Look, I'm aware you guys aren't fond of my nickname, but hey, I didn't come up with." said Prometheus nonchalantly.

The Great Reaper certainly didn't appreciate his tone, threatening to kill the Underworld warrior. Of course, even he knew that Prometheus was too strong for him to handle. What Prometheus was asking for was obvious; training.

"…..Fine…." growled the Great Reaper.

"Glad to see you understand." smirked Prometheus.

_*****__End flashback__*****_

Since then, Prometheus honed his skills amongst the reapers. The setting was perfect for him after all. While the majority of reapers took to their jobs as soul carriers, Prometheus endured many of their exercises in the ways of death. One of the more grim parts of his regimen was "taking care" of any evil souls he found. Of course, such a thing was pretty dangerous: absorbing a soul, even if evil, had quite the consequences on the body. However, being the Dread Reaper himself, Prometheus was more than prepared to embrace any such things.

However, one thing that often gnawed at Prometheus was, as he grew in strength, so did his inner "demons" so to speak.

As he sat, his left eye slowly swirled with dark energy, as if something was forming around him.

"**Prometheus…the darkness in you grows…..Heh heh heh."**

"Ugh, will you ever shut up? How can someone like you keep talking for 2000 years?" groaned Prometheus.

"**I was called the Dread Demon for a reason after all…..You and I…..are more alike than you like to think….You have no problem with their ways of destruction….."**

The remains of Orcos inside Prometheus also grew in power from Prometheus' soul consumption. Prometheus that it was a real bother. Still, he would have none of it. He focused his mind, causing the swirling mass around his left eye to vanish.

"Sometimes, I really do wonder…" he muttered to himself as he got up. It was time for more work. As he walked, Helswath seemed to resonate with strength.

**(LINE BREAK)**

_*****__Flashback, two months earlier__*****_

Pyrrha walked through the harsh sand, wiping her forehead as she walked. She knew that it was around her somewhere; her old training grounds. She moaned to herself. She really should think of a way to move to a cooler place. Anyway, she finally saw a dark-looking ship situated on the sand.

"Finally."

This was the Nidhogg, a ship from long ago that sailed the sea where this desert was. However, it dried up over millennia. They say that older spirits roamed the ship, although Pyrrha often used it as a hideout long ago. She jumped onto the ship and began looking around; it looked as cruddy as ever.

"Anyone home?!" she called out.

Almost immediately, some spirits rose around her.

"Pyrrha? How long's it been since you last came here?" smiled one spirit.

"Forgot." she smiled sheepishly. "Anyway, I have business here. My old training grounds are still here right?"

"Yep, everything is how you left it, including "those"." spoke the spirit.

"Good." said Pyrrha.

_****__End flashback__****_

Pyrrha constantly punched a punching bag. She had been going nonstop, using the old spirit's guidance. She was often asked why she didn't go train at the Reaper Fortress with Prometheus. Pyrrha's simple answer was that that was Prometheus' path. Hers was different.

"Phew, good workout." she smiled as she wiped her forehead.

"You think you'll be able to use "those" now?" asked a little female spirit.

"Well, shall we find out?" smiled Pyrrha as she cracked her knuckles.

**(LINE BREAK)**

_*****__Flashback, two months earlier__*****_

Luna sighed as she rose past Earth's atmosphere, already dreading what she had to do. Heading back home for the first time in centuries wasn't exactly ideal. However, she had no choice; Celestial Court held things that she needed. She just had one problem; her dad. Sighing yet again, she fully emerged from Earth and to a familiar little glyph. It was the gateway to Celestial Court, which was hidden from normal view. Luna touched the glyph, which then proceeded to scan her like some kind of sci-fi flick.

"Sheesh, Dad takes security way too seriously."

Anyway, once the scanning was done, Luna watched "doors" open in front of her as the Celestial Court emerged in front of her. Appearing as grand as Skyworld, Celestial Court was home to the Galaxy Spirits, some of the older spirits in the world. Quite a few gods and goddesses, like herself and Pyrrhon, were descended from these Galaxy Spirits. Luna groaned as she flew forward, avoiding any stray gazes that she may have gotten from its inhabitants; she didn't really care right now. Soon enough, she saw the central palace; where the higher spirits lived. That included her own family for that matter.

Luna flew and landed at the base of the palace, sighing as she approached the door. She gently knocked on it, remembering how she hadn't seen it in centuries. After she knocked, the door slowly opened, revealing a couple of small children; a boy and a girl. Both of them immediately gasped and started running.

"It's Lady Luna! Lady Luna is back, Mistress Virgo!" They kept chanting it until it kept reverberating off the walls. Luna cringed as she kept hearing it.

"So much for a quiet entrance." she groaned as she entered. She didn't have to wait long to get another greeting though as another figure soon entered. It was a woman, one who looked pretty similar to Luna, who gasped and ran over, hugging the girl.

"Luna! You've finally come back to us!" cried the woman as she hugged. Luna wasn't very enthusiastic about it, but she lightly hugged back.

"Hello Mom."

Lady Virgo, Luna's mother, briefly broke away from Luna, gently combing through her hair.

"You've gotten much bigger since the last time we saw you." cried Virgo. Luna blushed lightly at her mother's cuddling. Luna was a kid when she left so long ago, and she often didn't like being reminded of her life beforehand.

"Where's Dad?" Luna asked simply.

"Are you in a hurry? It's been so long since you've been home. Won't you have something to eat? It's almost dinner time." offered Virgo. Luna sighed.

"Mom, in case you've been living under a rock, Earth is in trouble. I can't waste time. I need to see Dad." said Luna.

Virgo sighed to herself. "He's busy in his office right now. Dinner is close. Will you join us then? Won't you please Luna?"

Luna really wasn't looking forward to it, but she had no choice. "Fine." This made Virgo smile.

"Wonderful! We can eat as a family again!" said Virgo, happy to see her daughter finally back. If only Luna shared that enthusiasm.

_A little while later_

Luna was soon seated at a familiar long dinner table, not exactly comfortable though. It was the kind of table you'd expect from a "rich family" so to speak. Her mother, Virgo, was situated opposite of her. Her dad, Orion, had come down and sat at the end. The rest of the table was occupied with other such people, including the kids from earlier.

"Luna," Orion smiled at his daughter. "It does me good to see you alive and well."

"Yeah, sure." muttered Luna. Orion gave a stern look to his daughter. He wasn't stupid; she was here for a specific reason.

"Well, I guess there's no need to beat around the bush. What do you need?" asked Orion. As Luna put her fork down, she stared at her father.

"I'm here for two things." she stated plainly.

"And those are?" asked Orion.

"I need Leviathan and Forseti." said Luna, as serious as ever.

Most of the people at the table, including Virgo, were surprised to hear that. After all, what Luna was referring to weren't ordinary things. Leviathan was a sacred dual-bladed spear that was not to wielded lightly. Forseti was the strongest ice spell in existence, said to channel the power of all living things into a powerful blast of ice that could rival the Ice Age.

"L-Luna…!" cried Virgo before Orion raised a hand.

"Luna," he started slowly before continuing. "You come back after centuries, after running away, and suddenly demand that you have two of the most precious possessions of this Court?"

"Yes, I am." stated Luna, as she had no time for games. "Kronos and the Legion of Time have invaded in case you've been living under a rock over the past few months. I'm right in the middle of it, and I need to be prepared."

"Luna, you're not a warrior." said Orion.

"Well I am now!" cried Luna, her face beginning to redden. "When are you going to stop treating me like a child**? I. AM. A. GODDESS!** I can take care of myself!" she almost yelled, putting emphasis on the goddess part.

Needless to say, many were surprised. When Luna last lived here, as a child, she was rather meek, never speaking a whole lot. Of course, Orion doted on her like no one's business. Frankly, Luna absolutely hated that. It was one of the reasons she was glad when Prometheus and Pyrrha broke her out.

"Luna…" started Orion. "We'll discuss the rest in private."

Luna patiently waited for that.

_Later on in Orion's room_

"Luna, I meant what I said. You are no fighter, and especially not with a real weapon." said Orion.

"Well, now's the time. I can't keep on fighting with my parasol if I hope to be of use." pleaded Luna.

"But even you know what careless use of Leviathan and Forseti can do." said Orion.

"Of course I do. That's why I want you and everyone to train me." said Luna.

_*****__End flashback__*****_

To this day, Luna still wondered what ultimately caused her Dad to allow her to train.

"Oh well, back to work." she said as she started stretching.

**(LINE BREAK)**

"AHHHHHHHHHH!"

Back in the Realm of Oblivion, Noire had been put back in the experimentation room, just as Eldran and Amiti threatened. Both of said generals just waited outside as it happened.

"Hmph, serves that girl right for failing like that." scowled Eldran.

"Calm yourself Eldran." spoke Amiti. "We need to keep the search for the Scion up. Also, I've noticed how much stronger our opponents seem to have been getting since that encounter two months ago."

"Hah, as if whatever they did would even cause a dent in our ranks." smirked Eldran.

"All the same, we shouldn't take any more chances. Given how the Earth's dimension is beginning to destabilize, they're likely going to try and bring the goddess of nature back."

"How would they even do that? She's dead."

"I wouldn't underestimate Mila. Even back then, I could tell that that woman had some idea. If she had an idea of what the goddess was going to do, she might have prepared for it. Thus, I think we should begin preparations to stop that. Her friend, Eres, should be first to go. Not only that, but given their progress on our normal ranks, I'd say it's time to unleash the Einherjar."

Eldran smirked at that idea. "I look forward to it. Time to kill that goddess."

**(LINE BREAK)**

Meanwhile, at the Overworld Sanctuary, Eres and the Forces of Nature generals were all present in the central hall. Eres was pacing around, which was driving Arlon crazy to be honest.

"Lady Eres, might you please refrain from further pacing? It is a bit dizzying." said Arlon. Eres smiled briefly.

"Sorry Arlon. Guess I'm really nervous. My energy is pretty low. Soon, I'll have to cut off using my power for the Overworld. When that happens…." she trailed off, not wanting to say more about it. However, Arlon gave her a small smile.

"Don't worry Lady Eres. I'm sure there are some clues somewhere that will lead us to Mistress Viridi's revival. We just have to keep looking." he assured.

"But how?" asked Eres.

"We have to keep faith. Is there anything that comes to mind of something that we can use?" asked Arlon. "I've also obtained the services of one of Mistress Viridi's more reliable acquaintances."

"Acquaintance?" asked Eres.

"Yes, someone she knew from some time ago. A very reliable soldier for us." smiled Arlon.

"Well, I hope they're up to snuff." said Eres.

"Oh, rest assured of that." said Arlon. "Isn't that right Cragalanche?"

The giant boulder nodded in understanding. Eres was glad to have their support. Then, Arlon's question came to mind.

"Well, I have been thinking about one thing." she pondered. Arlon raised an eyebrow.

"And what would that be?" asked Arlon.

"Something I made at Mila's request long ago….." Eres started.

However, right as she did, a loud bang resounded throughout the central hall, startling them. At once, Aki and Phosphora burst into the room.

"Legion of Time soldiers!" cried Phosphora.

"Loads of them too." said Aki. However, Eres noticed that something was on Aki's mind, and it wasn't good.

"What else?" asked Eres. Aki sighed.

"I noticed new soldiers in addition to the old ones. They match the descriptions of the Einherjar." said Aki.

"Einherjar? Didn't Eldran say something about that at Yggdrasill?" said Eres.

"Those must be the super soldiers they were making. They combine some aspects of their soldiers with our own to create something brand new." Arlon said with an angry look.

"We can discuss that later! They're coming in soon!" said Phosphora as she prepared for battle. "They're going to pay though. Aki was just about to teach me something cool!"

Aki just chuckled as he prepared Armads. "Priorities Phosphora." he warned.

As the generals got ready, Arlon turned to Eres. "Hide milady! We can hold them!"

Eres honestly didn't want to. Part of this mess was her fault after all. She didn't like being useless. Heck, even Iris, who wasn't even a goddess, was fighting. And yet here she was, doing nothing. She clenched her fist tightly; no more running. She had to be a part of the solution to this problem.

"I'll be back in second." said Eres as she ran out towards a hallway. Arlon wasn't sure what she was planning, although he soon turned his attention back to the wall. Soon, the door burst open, as wildebeests, tallons, and the dragon-like salamanders. However, as they looked further in, they saw exactly what Aki feared: the humanoid Golems, tall and armored with large clubs, three eyes, and white in color. They were parts of the Einherjar.

Meanwhile, Eres ran downstairs to a storage room. It was here that she kept something special. Something that she hadn't used in about a millennium. Primarily because the last time she did, she blew up half of Viridi's sanctuary. She lightly giggled at the memory as she opened up a certain chest, revealing a long spear inside. The handle part of the spear was dark blue with accents of gold. At the end, there was a gold rune before it extended to a golden spear, large and triangle-like in shape.

"Hello Gungnir. Long time no see." she smiled as she picked it up, feeling it's familiar power all over again.

**(END)**

**Another chapter in the books, and a lot of story in this one. Action to come very soon.**

**Also, Luna's flashback isn't over. It got a little long, so I cut it short here. Luna will be showing the remaining part in the next chapter.**

**So, today we have two bios for the first time. One is an item and another is a spell: Prometheus' Helswath and Iris' Valflame.**

*******Helswath*******

**Appearance: A scythe with a silver handle. The top part is red and black with a special rune. The blade itself is also black.**

**Bio: This was once a sword Prometheus used. It became a scythe soon after he absorbed the remains of the Dread Demon Orcos. It becomes stronger as Prometheus does and is always sharp. At the peak of its power, it's capable of even causing dimensional rifts. It's naturally attuned to darkness.**

*******Valflame*******

**Incantation: "Fires of all creation, level the earth with your fury!"**

**Bio: Iris's most powerful spell and also a specialty of her ancestor, Duma. Among fire spells, it's in a class on its own. It causes a blast of dark flames to converge on the target. Many believe that it has the impact of a meteor, although their claims have been subject to dispute. It's one of the 3 most powerful natural spells on its kind, building its power from its user's will.**

*******End bio*******

**Well, that's all. Review as always.**

**Sentinel07, out!**


	30. Chapter 23: The Einherjar

**Hello people! Sentinel07 here with Chapter 23 of Kid Icarus: The Great War.**

**Thanks to everyone who enjoyed the last chapter. Not as many reviews as usual, but I can deal with that.  
**

**_Italics means a character's personal thoughts._**

**_Bold and italics refers to quotes using telepathy._**

**Make sure you keep reading those AN's at the bottom for anything that might be upcoming.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Kid Icarus or any other referenced video game or anime.**

**Now, let's begin!**

**(BEGIN)**

**Chapter 23: The Einherjar  
**

The Time soldiers and the Golems rushed into the sanctuary, eager to crush those who were inside. Phosphora sighed as lightning coursed through her arms.

"And to think, we were almost done rebuilding the place." she groaned.

"Oh relax. It's not that hard honestly." smirked Aki, tossing his hammer in his hands.

At that point, the monsters weren't going to wait any longer. The monsters roared into the hallway, smashing over everything in their way. This was going to get messy quickly.

"Hah!" Phosphora lashed out with lightning, officially beginning the battle.

Aki charged towards the beasts, swinging his hammer down on a few of them. As before, the regular Time soldiers weren't that hard, given all they had to defeat in the last few months. Granted, he hadn't faced salamanders before. The more dragon-like soldiers were a bit new to him, and a bit more sturdier as well. That being said, most of them were no match for his hammer.

"Come on, you freaks! Give me something to sweat over." he grinned as he swung his hammer, charging it with lightning. "Roar hammer of lightning! Spark Wave!"

A straight blast of lightning roared from his hammer and striking down the wildebeests and tallons that were on approach. As Arlon tossed his lunar blades at two more monsters, he began to worry a bit. He hadn't seen Eres, but he could tell she was still hear.

"What is she doing?" he pondered to himself.

Anyway, thankfully, the regular soldiers weren't too bad for the generals to defeat. However, that left just the Einherjar. For the most part, they had stood still, as if waiting for something. Aki couldn't figure out why, but he didn't have much time to think as he brought the hammer down on another tallon.

"Ugh, these sheer numbers are already wearing me out!" groaned Aki.

Cragalanche slammed down on a pack of soldiers, but even they could tell that the mighty boulder was losing strength. The Legion of Time clearly wanted something if they were sending this many soldiers.

"We could really use some help right now." Phosphora huffed and puffed after blasting two more soldiers.

Falling to the ground, Arlon tried to catch his breath, but more soldiers were rapidly approaching. He grunted as he tried to hold himself together. Until…..

"GAIA LIGHT!"

A golden ray of light burst through from behind Arlon, engulfing the remaining Time soldiers, leaving just the Einherjar. Needless to say, everyone was stunned silent as they looked behind them. To their shock, they saw Eres. In addition to her normal robes, she now had on some kind of vest that conformed her dress closer to her body, allowing her for some easier movement. An elegant spear was held tightly in her right hand.

"Miss me?"

**(LINE BREAK)**

"Do you guys feel that?" asked Pit as he flew along.

Everyone was flying towards the Overworld Sanctuary, but they were beginning to feel something ominous in the air. Also, just recently, they felt an even bigger burst of energy that seemed to come from the distance.

"Yeah, something feels wrong." said Dark Pit.

"_**That energy signature. It feels like Eres."**_ said Palutena. Pit did a double take when he heard that.

"Wait, that burst of energy was Eres?! I never felt such a thing when she fought alongside me." said Pit.

"Well, she's apparently fighting now. Better get over there and see what we can find." said Iris.

"Fair enough." said Pit as the group continued on their way.

**(LINE BREAK)**

While Prometheus and Pyrrha honed themselves in their respective training grounds, Luna tried herself everyday back in Celestial Court. Right now, she was honing her magic by trying to use Freeze Lancer on certain targets.

"Okay, Freeze Lancer!" A circular glyph rose and tired numerous ice shards as Luna's practice target. Most hit the targets she set up, but a good amount also missed.

"Darn it." she hit herself at her misses. Luna wasn't the best at fighting or magic, so she had to train herself extra hard to reach her goals. Setting her targets back up, she thought back to right after she confronted her Dad about wanting to use Leviathan and Forseti.

_*****__Flashback, 2 months earlier__*****_

For some time, Luna tried to convince Orion about her using the sacred weapons. Truth be told, Orion was well aware of the danger, but his reluctance to have his only daughter on the front lines wasn't ideal to him.

"The answer is still no." Orion said with a tone of finality.

Luna looked a bit taken back as her eyes watered a bit. Still, her fists clenched up on the desk.

"Is….is that all I am to you?"

"How do you mean?"

"Ever since I was born, you've always treated me like this. What am I to you? Some gem to be protected all the time? Both you and Mom are famous among the Galaxy Spirits for being very strong. Why don't you treat me the same?"

"Luna…"

"Ugh, why am I wasting my time like this?" And with that, Luna stomped out of the room, leaving Orion to ponder about his daughter's words. While he hated to admit it, Luna's words had a certain truth to them.

The Galaxy Spirits proceeded many of the current gods and goddesses. Even Palutena and Medusa were born thanks to them. However, Orion had always hoped that, should he have an offspring, that they not be a god or goddess. Gods and goddesses born from the Galaxy Spirits were always special in some way.

Eventually however, that was what came to pass when he and Virgo were blessed with the goddess of the moon herself. Despite this, Orion tried his best to keep Luna away from the wars of Earth. He thought it was right, although he didn't really know what to think when Luna ran away over a thousand years ago. He briefly looked at a picture he had; a picture that showed him, Virgo, and the toddler Luna.

Orion just pondered to himself as he put the picture down.

_Outside_

"Why do I bother?" Luna sighed as she sat outside the central temple. She pretty much saw this coming. Why did she even bother trying ask for the Court's special weapons?

However, as she sighed again, one of the children from before bounced up to her.

"Lady Luna! Master Orion has something to say!" said the boy. Luna gave the boy a little smile, as not to hurt any feelings.

"And what would that be?" she asked.

"He said that you start learning how to use a spear tomorrow." the boy chirped at her. Luna's eyes widened at the boy's declaration.

"Did….did he really say that?" she asked.

"Yep, heard it straight from him. Isn't that cool?" cried the boy.

Luna was so confused, but she allowed herself to smile.

"Yes, it is."

_*****__End flashback__*****_

Luna's Freeze Lancer hit every target right on the money as she finished her flashback. To be honest, her father never fully explained why he made the change so suddenly. Still, she smiled to herself. Her father was never one to overly show his emotions.

"Lady Luna! Time for spear practice!" called a female Celestian (resident of Celestial Court).

"Got it!"

**(LINE BREAK)**

Everyone was shocked to see a more battle-ready Eres standing behind them, holding an elegant spear in her hands.

"E-Eres?...What is that?" asked Aki, gesturing to her spear. Eres gave him her typical soft smile.

"This is Gungnir, my personal weapon. Haven't used it in a while, so I apologize for any accidents." she said.

"Gungnir? The spear of earthen light?" asked Aki. However, Phosphora shot over to them before they could continue.

"Um, guys? You can give a description once we're done here." she said eagerly. The Einherjar just observed the group, as if analyzing them. They acted so much like robots that it was kind of creepy, even for a bunch of deities.

"Are they waiting?" asked Arlon.

"No idea." said Eres. "I remember seeing them briefly before, but I don't know anything about them. Where's Prometheus when you need him?" she added.

Suddenly, weird sounds started coming from the Golems, like something starting off. Almost instantly, the three eyes on all of the golems lit up red, raising their clubs. With a giant push, the golems rushed towards the group at an absurd pace.

"What the-!"

The group jumped out the way just as the golems brought their clubs down, collectively forming a large crater in the hall.

"Holy Zeus that was strong!" cried Phosphora.

"These things are the real deal." gritted Aki.

At that point, the 5 golems broke from each other, attacking individual targets. The golem's size hid their true speed, and their clubs were amazingly powerful. Aki engaged one golem with his hammer, blocking the large club with Armads. However, the force was so great that Aki had to roll to the side to avoid getting flattened. Elsewhere, one golem ran towards Eres. However, she didn't falter at all.

"You're not going anywhere." she said to herself, as Gungnir began to glow. The golem brought its club down, to which Eres blocked with Gungnir. She used her momentum to slide away, as gravity worked against the golem. Twirling it a bit, Eres directed a strike at the golem's chest, a piercing golden light striking it. However, the golem knocked her away, but Eres flipped and landed on her feet, spear still easily in hand. She smirked at the golem as it roared towards her.

"Too bad. Game over for you." she said as she snapped her fingers. At that moment. the golden light appeared again inside the golem, building up until the being exploded from the inside out. The shockwave actually sent Aki flying a bit.

"Um…wow…" was all he could say before he rolled to avoid another golem strike.

After that, Phosphora flew up the walls of the hall, as her golem climbed after her. After remarking on the golem being a fast climber, Phosphora flew in circles around it, hoping to make it a bit dizzy at least. The idea seemed to work, as the golem's head began to spin, starting to malfunction. Phosphora smirked, lightning building in her right fist.

"Perfect, now have at you! Lightning Charge!" Her enhanced fist attack, learned from Aki, drove the golem through the chest, sending both her and it downwards until it impacted the ground. As Phosphora flew back up, catching her breath, the golem laid broken. She sighed in relief.

Aki's hammer struck blow for blow with his golem, using his lightning powers to try and overpower it. He wasn't like Phosphora; he wasn't capable of simply out speeding a monster. However, he had a good balance and that was more than enough.

"Can you hit me up here?" He challenged the golem as he jumped into the air, daring the golem to follow him. As he expected, it tried following him, making Aki smirk. After making another flip, he jumped off the golem's head, sending it back to the ground on its back as lightning charged through Aki's Armads.

"Thunder Drive!" The lightning-charged hammer shattered the golem's head, destroying the rest of the body in the process. Aki allowed himself a brief rest, catching his breath in light of his win.

However, it was not to last.

"UGH!" Aki was hit right in the stomach as a strong attack from the two remaining golems forced him to the back. The others joined around him, not too injured, but low on health. They joined at the middle of the hall, the two golems beginning to come at them.

"Stay behind me." said Eres, holding Gungnir up. This was the first time in a thousand years that she had been at full strength, and no doubt, she wasn't fully up to speed yet. Despite this, the group prepared as best they could before the golems roared at them, clubs raised high and ready to charge. They braced themselves for an attack

And then…

"ZENITH STRIKE!"

At once, a large cut of powerful dark energy struck both golems in the back, crushing them completely as they crumbled to the ground in a heap. It took for the dust to settle from the crumbling of the last two golems, as well as two other inured structures to finally collapse, adding more to the damage costs.

Despite that, the group opened their eyes and looked at a small figure near the broken entry doors. The being appeared to be a bit taller than the angels. However, the exact dimensions of the figure were hard to read. The reason why? The being was clad in purple armor, almost similar to the armor of Dark Lord Gaol, except that it was much smaller and lacked any horns or anything like that. Not to mention, the armor covered the entire figure, so they couldn't see who it was. They could vaguely see a black sword being sheathed on the figure's back though.

However, what was the most surprising was when Arlon came up and approached the figure, giving a polite bow.

"Ah, good to see you finally arrive. I hope the trip wasn't too strenuous." said Arlon.

"It was fine." spoke the figure. The voice was pretty ambiguous, so no one could tell what kind of person it was. "So what's the next assignment you talked about?"

"Ah, yes. Do please wait for a moment. If my sense are correct, young master Pit and his friends should be arriving shortly.

"Very well." spoke the figure nonchalantly. "If you need me….I'll be in the library."

And with that, the figure just walked away without a second thought. As confused as everyone was, Phosphora looked around the ruined central hall.

"This is going to take forever to clean up."

**(LINE BREAK)**

"Well, where to even begin." pondered Eres.

Soon after the defeat of the Einherjar and the other Time soldiers, Pit and the others did indeed arrive, immediately noticing the large-scale destruction. After they at least cleared a good amount of wreckage, Sheba introduced herself to everyone. Although, Pit was more surprised at Eres' apparent fighting ability. Eres had to explain everything to him too.

"Basically, a portion of my power is within Gungnir. Without it, I'm not at full power." said Eres.

"So why would you purposely cripple your power?" asked Iris.

"Well, the last time I used Gungnir was a thousand years ago. I got a little crazy and blew up half of this sanctuary." Eres sheepishly laughed at that.

Everyone sweatdropped at that statement, but there were other things to discuss.

"So, why would the Legion on Time come after you guys with this large a force?" asked Dark Pit.

"I wonder," Iris pondered. "Did someone here have something they want?"

"You know, quite a few monsters went straight for Eres." said Aki. "I wonder if Eldran just wanted to kill her like he wanted to before."

"I doubt he gets away with pulling those stunts, even if he's a general. Perhaps they think Eres knows something." said Dark Pit.

"If I recall Lady Eres, I had asked you if you knew anything that could give us a lead, and you seemed to think of something at that time." said Arlon. Everyone's eyes turned to Eres. She suddenly became very unsure.

"Well, I did remember something," Eres took a deep breath before continuing. "It was something that happened 2000 years ago, right before Viridi was born. Her mother, Mila, was a close friend of mine. As her birthdate neared, she started acting strange."

"In what way?" asked Sheba.

"She wouldn't talk often, and she was always in deep thought." said Eres. "And then, the day before she gave birth came and she did something completely out of the blue. She entrusted me with the Heart of Mother Earth."

"Wait that sounds familiar." said Pit.

"You recall this?" said Arlon, pulling out said stone. "This stone was what Mistress Viridi used to fuse with Yggdrasill. I retrieved it just before Yggdrasill was destroyed."

"Ah, now I remember." nodded Pit. "So Viridi's mother originally had that. So what was strange about it?"

"Actually, it was more about what she did afterwards. She then asked me, as a goddess, to create something special. Something that could slowly absorb the energies of Earth's nature over the centuries."

"Absorb?" asked Dark Pit.

"Nothing too much, just taking a little more or less." explained Eres. "She wouldn't explain why though, but she did say that, once that special something along with the Heart would create a miracle in time. To start that, she gave me a simple seed."

"A seed?" asked Sheba.

"Yes. I wasn't sure what she meant. She died in childbirth without ever explaining to me. Maybe she thought that someone was watching and didn't want to divulge something bad." said Eres.

"So what became of this "seed" that she gave you?" asked Iris.

"I did as she told me. I used my powers to craft a spell around the seed and placed it in what is now called the Miracle Caves, right around near the Wistful Wild. At the time, I regularly tended to it, although I haven't been there in a long time. At one time, the power I felt radiating from the seed reminded me of myself and Viridi, so I decided to call it the Goddess Seed."

"Hmm, The Goddess Seed. I wonder," pondered Sheba. "Was there anything else Mila said?"

Eres tried to give it some though, until her eyes lit up again. "Oh, now I remember! Right after Viridi was born, and she was struggling to stay alive, she said something about bringing the "seed" and the "heart" to the Life Grove."

"The Life Grove?" asked Pit.

"_**Don't you remember Pit?"**_ Palutena spoke up after being silent for so long. _**"That's where you fought Iris for the second time. You fell off your Exo Tank."**_ she giggled at the end.

"Thanks for reminding me." groaned Pit.

"Well, who knows if it will our key to victory, but it sounds like we have our lead." said Dark Pit.

"I agree. Some of us should head to the Miracle Caves at once. Preferably people who don't look like they're going to keel over." Sheba added with a smirk, which got a glare from Phosphora.

"Normally, I would say that this is a Forces of Nature matter and that we should handle it." said Arlon before lowering his head. "But alas, I have no energy to spare."

"Me neither." sighed Phosphora. Although he said nothing, Cragalanche was visually exhausted as well.

"Well, how about this? It'll be Pit, Dark Pit, Eres, and myself heading towards the Miracle Caves while everyone else helps out around here." suggested Sheba. Iris wasn't looking forward to clean-up duty, but she nodded anyway.

Then, Arlon spoke up. "If I may, I'd also like to suggest that my acquaintance also be a part of the team."

"You mean that armored warrior that took out those golems?" asked Pit.

"Correct. You see, he's a mercenary I hired to help. He's well-acquainted with the Forces of Nature and I figured he'd like to help." said Arlon.

"Well, I guess that's fine. If Arlon trusts this guy, than I guess we can." said Sheba, although she wasn't entirely sure herself.

Anyway, from that point on, most of them started cleaning up the debris from the attack. Pit and Dark Pit situated themselves outside while everyone else prepared. Soon enough, after Sheba and Eres arrived, their armored friend finally showed up.

"Where have you been?" asked an impatient Dark Pit.

"…In the library.." the figure spoke slowly. Dark Pit raised an eyebrow but decided to let it go this time.

"Well, let's get this show on the road! Eres, you mind leading the way?" asked Pit.

"No problem." said Eres.

After Palutena sent in a couple of Dragoons for Pit and Dark Pit, the gang was flying off into the sky in search of the so-called Miracle Caves.

**(END)**

**And there you have it. Another enigmatic character has made their presence known. Who could they be? The quest for Viridi is on! How all these items will work out will be interesting to see. And how far will the Legion of Time go towards making sure it doesn't happen?**

**Anyway, for this chapter, let's take a look at Eres' special spear, Gungnir:**

*******Gungnir*******

**Appearance: A more typical single-bladed lance. Handle is dark blue with accents of gold. On the top is a metal gold rune which then follows into a golden triangle-like spearhead.**

**Bio: Gungnir is known as the spear of earthen light, and is Eres' personal weapon. It houses a significant portion of her power, and Eres virtually lacks real fighting ability without it. Eres' reason for mostly not using Gungnir goes back to a thousand years ago when she accidentally blew up half of the Overworld Sanctuary.**

*******End bio*******

**Review as always, my friends and we'll see each other again soon!**

**Sentinel07, out!**


	31. Chapter 24: The Miracle Caves

**Hello people! Sentinel07 here with Chapter 24 of Kid Icarus: The Great War.**

**Thanks to everyone who enjoyed the last chapter. It's been a while hasn't it? That's what happens when you hit a rough patch of schoolwork plus a lack of inspiration.**

_Italics means a character's personal thoughts._

**_Bold and italics refers to quotes using telepathy._**

**Make sure you keep reading those AN's at the bottom for anything that might be upcoming.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Kid Icarus or any other referenced video game or anime.**

**Now, let's begin!**

**(BEGIN)**

**Chapter 24: The Miracle Caves  
**

The 5 warriors flew as fast as they could by following Eres' directions. After all, only she really knew the Miracle Caves' location. Eres tried to describe it as best as she could as they flew. The caves were quite ordinary before Eres set the Goddess Seed there. However, as it absorbed a fraction of the Earth's energy, that same influence seemed to alter the caves, until it became like a little haven. Pit thought that it sounded like a nice place.

Too bad that the energy reading they were getting didn't bode well.

"I can feel Time soldiers already there." remarked Sheba.

"Well, it figures that they would make this bothersome for us." sighed Dark Pit.

"Hey, buck up Pittoo! We'll grab this seed and save Viridi in no time!" exclaimed Pit.

"Stop calling me Pittoo!"

The rest of the group sweatdropped at the bickering "brothers", who apparently were capable of keeping up an argument even when flying quickly through the air. Quite frankly, it began to annoy their mystery newcomer.

"Will someone shut them up?" the mercenary spoke quietly.

Eres just sighed as she tried to quell the squabble down. Any arguing needed to be saved until after their objective was completed after all. Meanwhile, Sheba turned her attention to the armor-clad mercenary.

"By the way, I'm sensing some strange energy from that sword of yours."

"…..Is that a fact."

Sheba raised an eyebrow as the mercenary's apparent indifference. She tried to get a better look at the warrior's sheathed sword. A part of it looked a bit familiar, but she couldn't quite put her finger on it. The fact that the mercenary seemed unwilling to talk didn't help either.

Anyway, once Pit and Dark Pit's bickering was quelled (but not resolved), the group continued flying, as Eres stated that they were very close.

**(LINE BREAK)**

Meanwhile, Amiti observed from the Realm of Oblivion.

"Noire."

The bow warrior tentatively stepped up, still a bit woozy from just being forced into the operating room again. Her fingers fumbled around Fimbulvetr's handle.

"Y-Yes?"

"As you know, I've sent a squadron of our forces to the Miracle Caves. Whatever Eres is holding there, it must be destroyed. Consider this a chance to make up for your failures so far."

"F-Failures?! W-What do you mean?! I haven't failed anyone!"

"….Can you really say you haven't?"

Amiti's voice became increasingly grave with each word he spoke in that sentence, making Noire shiver a bit.

"You're one of the strongest warriors we have, and yet you have found no clues as to the whereabouts of the Scion of Time. In addition, you haven't won any battles. That dark angel has stood up to you each time you faced him over the past few months."

Noire looked at the ground as he talked, playing with her fingers slightly.

"You are the Star Bowman and the Angel of Death of our army. You are not permitted to fail anymore. If your power proves insufficient, you are authorized to use the Monolith."

Noire's eyes widened. The Monolith? Hers was ready?

"You have been told how to summon it. Use it to crush our enemies if you must." spoke Amiti.

Noire fumbled with her fingers again. She honestly hated this. However, Fimbulvetr and her "other side" didn't agree with that sentiment.

"Understood."

**(LINE BREAK)**

The group arrived at the entrance to the caves, trying to look further in. Just as Eres stated, Pit noticed the sublime beauty of the place; quite a difference from the normally dreary caves that he was accustomed to. However, that being said, he could hear sounds coming from deep inside. It was a certainty that the Legion of Time was already inside and searching.

"Now listen to me," Eres spoke to everyone. "The caves run deep, and there are basically two major paths through the caves. We should split up to tackle both, in case one has caved in. It's been a while since I've last come here."

"All right, so what are the teams?" asked Pit, ready to go.

"Pit, you will come with me on one path. Dark Pit, you will go with Sheba and our other friend here through the other path." explained Eres.

"Whatever." shrugged Dark Pit. Sheba and the mercenary both nodded in approval. With that said, the group entered the caves, still together until the breaking point. The noses seemed to get louder and louder as they walked through. Eventually, the split in the caves appeared. At once, they wished each other well (well, not so much Dark Pit. He just waved) and went through their separate paths.

**(LINE BREAK)**

"So what was your relationship to Viridi's mother?" asked Pit.

"Mila was one of my best friends. She was enthusiastic, playful, and very kind. Although, she sometimes did have a tendency to overdo things." laughed Eres.

"Hah, that sounds like Viridi." laughed Pit. Eres agreed with his statement.

"Yeah, Mila and Viridi are quite alike." smiled Eres as her mind took her to way back.

_*****Flashback (2000 years earlier)*****_

Eres walked through the Overworld Sanctuary. The place was newly built, a new sanctuary for any of nature's wonders. Of course, Eres had an idea of who would be in charge of the place; knowledge that she wished she didn't have. Before long, a woman with long blonde hair arrived.

"Oh, hello Eres. Glad to see you." smiled Mila as she came over and hugged her friend.

"I'm happy to see you two Mila." smiled Eres before she looked at Mila's rather large belly. "So how much longer do you think?"

"Any day now." said Mila. "Did you do what I asked?"

"Yes, I performed some magic on the seed and placed it in the Miracle Caves. It'll best gain energy there." said Eres.

"That's good." said Mila.

"What are you planning Mila? Surely you know of what's going to happen." said Eres.

"I am fully aware Eres. That's why I need your help. That seed will be useful in time, so hopefully you don't forget it." smiled Mila, making Eres pout.

"I'm not that forgetful!" she puffed her cheeks up a bit, making Mila laugh.

"You are amusing to tease Eres." said Mila. "Just…make sure you watch over my child."

"I would be happy to. It's the least I can do." said Eres. "So, have you picked out a name?"

"Well, I did have one idea if it's a girl….."

_*****End flashback***** _

However, their conversation was soon interrupted, as Pit heard the beasts of the Legion of Time making their way towards them. As always, Pit had his sacred bow at the ready, while Eres readied Gungnir. Pit actually asked why she didn't use it before, her response being that she didn't want to cause necessary trouble.

The walls of the caves weren't very big, so they had limited space to work with as the beasts approached with fangs bared. Pit and Eres both rolled to the side as the first wave missed them. Pit shot two of them dead center before slashing up a couple more. Boy, did it feel good to be back in action.

Eres slashed through one monster with Gungnir before jumping back. Her nature powers were strong here after all, so there wasn't any reason not to use them. Green light erupted around Gungnir, as vines of energy sprouted from Gungnir and lashed at the beasts, killing many instantly. To be honest, this was starting to get too easy.

"Hah, come on! Where's the challenge?" asked Pit in a very cocky manner. Eres wasn't too sure.

"That's odd. Just regular soldiers? Where's the Einherjar?"

**(LINE BREAK)**

"Why don't you remove that helmet?" asked Dark Pit to their mystery warrior.

"I'd rather not. Why do you care so much?" asked the mercenary.

"Because you're creeping me out for one thing." groaned Dark Pit.

"Not my problem. Deal with it." spoke the mercenary.

Dark Pit was quite annoyed with the mercenary's decision to keep his identity secret. Sheba wasn't worried by it, to which she often giggled at Dark Pit's antics. He didn't know how to deal with this person who apparently took out two Einherjar without much problem.

Suddenly, the mercenary stopped, grabbing their sword.

"We've got company."

At once, they saw a group of Time soldiers arriving. However, they weren't just soldiers; they were Einherjar.

"More Einherjar?" asked Sheba as she readied her gauntlets.

"About time." said Dark Pit as he readied his own bow.

At once, the Golems began to attack, roaring as they clashed with their clubs, impacting the very ground. Sheba grabbed one by the head, sending it flying into another golem. Dark Pit slashed into another before having to block an attack from the golem. These things were made of pretty sturdy stuff after all. A few slashes wouldn't do much.

"….Time to die…"

The mercenary drew his black sword, which promptly erupted in dark flames. The mercenary's very aura seemed almost evil, yet it also felt controlled. Honestly though, as Dark Pit sensed the mercenary's energy, the aura seemed to remind him of a certain god that he would like to forget.

As Golems converged on the mercenary, he jumped into the air, spinning like a wheel as he sliced into one golem, cutting it in half. Not missing a beat, he turned around and cut through another, his blade looking like it could cut through anything.

"That's a handy blade." commented Dark Pit.

"Yeah, and the energy signature is familiar." Sheba added.

Using a Zenith Strike on another golem, the warrior ran along the ground, dodging more club strikes as the Einherjar roared at him. Unfazed, the warrior kept on running, blade erupting in flames again.

"Hell Pyre!"

The dark flames erupted from the sword, engulfing the last two golems as they crumbled, still engulfed in flames even as they ceased to be. Both Dark Pit and Sheba watched in slight awe as the warrior landed and sheathed his sword.

"Wow….that was pretty amazing." said Sheba in alight admiration.

"Don't worry. It's nothing." the warrior spoke before walking on.

"Not much for conversation." smirked Dark Pit.

"Like you're one to talk." spoke Sheba, which immediately made Dark Pit sulk a bit.

**(LINE BREAK)**

"Are we there yet?" groaned Pit.

"Almost. Now stop asking. It's getting annoying." spat Eres.

After defeating the Time soldiers, they had continued down the tunnel of the caves. Pit took some time to mourn the loss of the some of the caves' natural beauty. Much of it had been torn up by the Legion of Time. However, Eres had told him to just let it be. This place wouldn't be worth anything once the seed was removed.

Eventually, they got to a pretty large clearing. Surprisingly, there weren't any soldiers in the area, which both surprised and worried Pit. Still, they could worry about that later. Dark Pit's group hadn't arrived yet.

"I hope they got through okay." said Pit.

"I think I can still sense them around. They're alive and well." smiled Eres before turning to the nearby wall. "Looks a little beat up. I guess the Legion tried to break through any random thing they could. Too bad for them that they never found the true spot."

"What spot?" asked Pit.

Eres then put her hand on a small part of the far wall, allowing a small nature glyph to appear. Small light erupted from the glyph, flowing over Eres as if scanning her or something. After a while, Pit heard something click, and the glyph vanished. Before he could question it, the wall in front of them opened, revealing a small passageway. Eres motioned for him to enter, and he obeyed that order.

The corridor that was revealed wasn't any bigger than the other ones, although the sublime beauty seemed to be untouched here. Pit breathed a sigh of relief; as such a thing meant that the Legion most certainly hadn't come through here. To be fully honest though, part of him was hoping that this wasn't another hoax like the Wish Seed. He nearly voiced that frustration, but he figured that Eres would probably kill him if he did.

That aside, as they walked further in, the light seemed to get stronger and stronger. Pit actually had to block his eyes a bit as a small shining object appeared in front of them. As Pit approached it, he noticed that it was about the size of the palm of his hand. The shell was a shining gold, with the colors of the rainbow flowing inside it.

"The Goddess Seed." spoke Eres as she approached Pit from behind. "Go ahead and take it. It's alright."

She smiled as she said that, so Pit took it as a good sign. He reached out and grabbed the seed, bringing it closer to him. It almost felt like it was beating with life inside.

"It feels like a little heartbeat." said Pit.

"That's because it is, in a manner of speaking." said Eres as she approached Pit. "So this was what Mila had in mind. This is a heartbeat alright, for a certain goddess."

"Viridi." realized Pit.

"Correct. Now all we have to go is take this to the special spot in the Life Grove. There, combined with the Heart of Mother Earth, might just revive her." said Eres.

"So Mila knew what Kronos was going to do?" asked Pit.

"Or at the very least knew that there was a good chance that Viridi would die. This is her way of making her sure she has a second chance."

"You think Viridi could seal Kronos back away when she's revived?" asked Pit.

"Doubt it. Kronos has been around for too long. He's already grown too strong to be resealed." said Eres.

"Crud." said Pit.

"Well, we've spent enough time here. We have to leave before any Einherjar show up." said Eres. Right as she said that, they heard explosions coming from the main room right outside. Tucking the Goddess Seed away, Pit ran towards the room, bow at the ready. Much to Eres' dismay, there were indeed Einherjar. The familiar Golems were there, joined by a new unit. They looked like cloaked creatures, featuring the same 3-eyed look at the golems. Beneath their cloaks were two arms with clawed hands and twin axes.

"Wraiths." spoke Eres.

Facing a large army of Golems and Wraiths, Pit prepared himself for battle. He finally had the means to bring Viridi back, and not even Kronos himself was going to stop him.

**(LINE BREAK)**

"Are we there yet?" groaned Dark Pit.

"No, now shut up." spat the warrior.

"Why won't you at least tell us your name?" he asked.

"Because I don't want to." the warrior spat back.

"**We've got company."** spoke a disembodied voice. Dark Pit and Sheba looked around frantically, but saw no one. Still, the warrior tensed up.

"Einherjar are up ahead where Pit is. Let's go." said the warrior.

"You know, this might sound crazy, but did his sword just talk." said Dark Pit.

"The energy resonance did seem to come from the sword. I haven't seen many other weapons that can talk. The only one I know of is Fimbulvetr."

The mere mention of Fimbulvetr made Dark Pit tense. He had numerous battles so far with it and its wielder, Noire. Dark Pit had so many questions. Usually, he didn't think much during battle, but Noire confused him. There was a certain dread around her, not one he could see with other soldiers. He wanted to know why

However, another impact broke him out of his way of thinking and back to their main objective. He and Sheba followed the warrior along the corridor, soon reaching the main hall where Pit was being surrounded by Einherjar.

"Oh boy, this could be interesting." smiled Dark Pit as they descended into battle.

"Angel Ring!" Pit struck first, using his bow blades in a circular motion and slicing into the golems. The Wraiths, with their ability to hover and fly, proved to be quite a match for Pit. Still, he didn't back down, even as he saw the others finally catch up.

"Miss us!" cried Sheba as she crashed into a Wraith, splitting it in two.

"Glad you two could make it!" smiled Pit as he engaged more Golems, dodging as they swung their clubs at him.

The battle was long and hard, although the group did have to be careful. The cave was strong, but they had to make sure that it didn't collapse on top of them. The Wraiths were formidable with their flying capabilities, but Sheba was a master at taking down aerial units.

"Satellite Crash!" Sheba gathered energy in her fists, lifting them above her head, and bringing them straight down on a Wraith, creating a shockwave that stunned surrounding enemies. Dark Pit rolled as two Golems crashed into each other, making him laugh. The warrior carved through Golems, although he got clipped by the Wraiths on his leg, but he still jumped out the way, slashing through them with a Zenith Strike.

"Come on, let's move!" cried Pit.

With that, the group started to move, taking down the immense amount of Einherjar as they did.

**(LINE BREAK)**

"Finally, we're out of there." said Dark Pit as the group ran outside the caves, nearly exhausted. The Einherjar just seemed to keep on coming, but they finally defeated every one of them.

"Now, we gotta get this to the Life Grove." said Pit, feeling triumphant.

"Sorry, but I can't allow that."

The group turned as they saw Noire descend to the ground, her face as blank as normal.

"That seed is an obstacle to Lord Kronos. Hand it over." she said emotionlessly.

"No way!" said Pit. Right after he said that, Dark Pit ran in front of him.

"Pit, leave her to me. Go to the Life Grove now!" said Dark Pit, as serious as ever. Pit was a bit surprised to see him like this, but he didn't complain.

"I'll go with you Pit." said Eres, getting a nod from Pit. With that said, Pit ran over to where his Dragoon was. However, Fimbulvetr then appeared in Noire's hands.

"Didn't you hear me? I said that I can't let you get away." she said as she readied an arrow. However, right before she could, another arrow hit her hand and her arrow flew way off target, allowing Pit enough time to get on his Dragoon and get flying.

"Sorry, but I'm your opponent." sneered Dark Pit.

"You again. Why is it always you? Why do you always fight me?" asked Noire.

"I want answers. It's that simple." smiled Dark Pit. However, the masked warrior soon walked out to the front, his sword fully unsheathed.

"**We meet again at last, Fimbulvetr."**

At once, a mass of dark energy began to form from the warrior's sword. Dark Pit watched in awe as a humanoid figure began to emerge a bit from the sword. The figure was dark in color, with accents of red and white throughout it. As its face formed, it smirked at Noire. At once, Fimbulvetr emerged from the bow and snarled.

"Ragnarok, long time no see." she said. "I see you found a wielder to control your power."

"Heh, whatever. I don't really care, as long as I can screw something up. Heh heh heh!" laughed Ragnarok.

"We shall see." smirked Fimbulvetr as she returned to the bow. Ragnarok also returned to his sword.

"Ragnarok?" asked Dark Pit.

"It's a long story. I'll tell you later." said the warrior as he gripped Ragnarok, ready to fight. Sheba was ready to go to, although her mind didn't leave who that sword really was. She was pretty certain now where she heard of it.

"Sigh, I'm outnumbered." said Noire. "Well, Amiti did say that perhaps it was time."

"Time for what?" asked Dark Pit.

"You'll see." said Noire. Clutching her bow, her aura began to erupt around her. Dark Pit and the others braced as the pure energy swirled around Noire.

"**Rise, Nascent Monolith: Orphan!"**

The ground and atmosphere seemed to rock as Dark Pit and the others braced themselves from the storm. Light poured around Noire's location, rocking the very earth as a large structure began to form. Large, and golden on color, a large behemoth formed above them. The being was circular in shape, covered in ancient runes and shapes. What appeared to be cannons littered the front side of the circular being, as it floated just above the surface. The being wasn't flat though; not only was it circular, but it also had a wide depth to it, littered with weapons from all sides.

As Noire stood atop it, the first Monolith battle was to begin.

**(END)**

**And there you go. I hope you all enjoyed that after a week or so of waiting.**

**We've got interesting events planned for the next chapter, as the wielders of Fimbulvetr and Ragnarok face off. Not only that, we have the first Monolith: Orphan! And yes, in case you didn't notice, it's inspired by the final boss of Final Fantasy XIII. I'm not very original, I know. :)  
**

**Also, just to let you all know, I've also recently started a Mega Man story. For any of you who are interested in that, you can see it in my profile. This story still takes priority, but it's another idea I wanted to do.  
**

**Review as always! Sentinel07, out!**


	32. Chapter 25: Orphan

Hello people! Sentinel07 here with Chapter 25 of Kid Icarus: The Great War.

Thanks to everyone who enjoyed the last chapter.

_Italics means a character's personal thoughts._

_Bold and italics refers to quotes using telepathy._

Make sure you keep reading those AN's at the bottom for anything that might be upcoming.

Disclaimer: I don't own Kid Icarus or any other referenced video game or anime.

Now, let's begin!

(BEGIN)

**Chapter 25: Orphan**

As Pit and Eres flew towards the Life Grove, they felt a huge shockwave roar past them, almost knocking Pit off balance in the process.

"W-What was that?!" asked Pit.

"It can't be….." gasped Eres.

"It can't be what?" asked Pit.

"We have to hurry Pit! I think Noire has released a Monolith!" cried Eres, who instantly started flying again in a hurry.

"A what?!"

"A Monolith. They're special weapons created by the Legion of Time. They are the true ace in the hole of the army." explained Eres.

"How many of them are there?" asked Pit.

"From what I know, there are three of them; one for each general. Noire has apparently unleashed hers."

"Maybe we should go back and help." said Pit, slowing down a bit.

"No Pit, we need to reach the Life Grove. Dark Pit and the others can survive. We need to revive Viridi as soon as possible."

"I suppose." Pit said nervously. He was still worried about Dark Pit and the others but Eres was right. The Earth's dimensional stability wasn't going to wait after all.

**(LINE BREAK)**

Dark Pit, Sheba, and the mercenary just watched in awe as Noire's giant Monolith, Orphan, towered above them. The golden behemoth loomed large over the area, casting a shadow as far as they could see.

"_**Oh…my….gosh."**_ was all Palutena could spit out. Not even she imagined something of this magnitude.

"I think that's our line." said Sheba.

"Where the heck did they hide that thing?!" asked Dark Pit.

"Apparently in an extra-large garage." the mercenary chuckled.

"Seriously dude, shut up." Dark Pit deadpanned.

However, their conversation was soon interrupted, as Einherjar began to emerge from Orphan. Both golems and wraiths began to converge on the group. However, just as they got close….

"Gorgon Eye!"

"Pyro Blaster!"

The twin blasts impacted the Einherjar, destroying a good bunch of them and injuring the others. Confused, the group turned around to see Pyrrhon and Medusa standing behind them.

"What are you two doing here?" asked Dark Pit.

"You're welcome." scowled Medusa. "I doubt you three alone could handle everything, so we'll handle the Einherjar. You take care of that machine."

"Don't worry friends! We'll have these bozos wrapped up faster than Santa on Christmas Eve!" Pyrrhon laughed.

"Wow that was really lame." groaned Dark Pit.

"So that's Pyrrhon? Wow, he's pretty hot, and I'm not talking about just the fire." Sheba giggled a bit, making Dark Pit groan again.

"….Medusa." the mercenary said slowly. Medusa turned in the warrior's direction and raised an eyebrow.

"Hey, haven't I seen you before? Are you…?" Medusa started.

"U-Um, no time for talking! Time to fight that Monolith!" the mercenary stated before flying off, demon sword in hand.

"Um, what just happened?" asked Dark Pit. Medusa snickered.

"It's nothing. I guess you'll know soon enough." said Medusa. "Now stop stalling and destroy that Monolith!"

Not needing to be told twice, the three of them flew into the air. From inside the Monolith, Noire watched them approach.

"What say we give them a warm welcome?" snickered Fimbulvetr.

"I don't know. Can we? I've never done this before." said Noire. At that comment, Fimbulvetr started hitting Noire's head. "Ouch! OW! Stop that!"

"Stop being a wimp and fire!" yelled Fimbulvetr. Noire held her injured head, until a new feeling washed over her, making her grin.

"Ha ha ha ha! Attack, Orphan!"

At the command, Orphan's cannons became operational, aiming as the trio converged.

"Where do we even strike?" asked Dark Pit.

"I'm going to take a wild guess and say somewhere near the top." said the mercenary.

"WATCH OUT!" cried Sheba.

**BOOM!**

At once, Orphan's cannons began firing, hundreds of streaming lights bursting towards the group, causing them to try to dodge left and right.

"Holy cow! They're all over the place!" cried Dark Pit.

For Dark Pit, dodging was the hardest. Unlike the other two, Dark Pit was riding a Dragoon, not the most maneuverable contraption.

"Palutena, you haven't used the Power of Flight on me right?!" Dark Pit cried as one blast clipped the wing of his Dragoon.

"_**No, I haven't yet!"**_

Right as Palutena said that, another blast hit the Dragoon dead center, destroying its capability for flight, causing it to spiral out of control.

"Well, now might be a good time! You know, before I become a permanent mark on the Earth!" cried Dark Pit as the Dragoon was blasted again, sending Dark Pit off of it and spiraling down towards the ground like a meteor.

"Do it!"

"_**You got it!" **_

At once, Palutena's Power of Flight surged through Dark Pit's wings, sending him back to the skies. Thank goodness to, because he was less than 50 yards away from the ground when it happened.

"Dark Pit, you alright!" called Sheba.

"I'm fine, now CONCENTRATE!" cried Dark Pit.

Orphan's seemingly infinite cannon blasts impacted the ground around the battlefield. Hills and the nearby grasslands were blown to smithereens as Orphan continued to fire. The mercenary flew back and forth, narrowly avoiding a direct hit to the chest.

"Boy, Arlon better pay me extra for this." gritted the mercenary. Even with the Power of Flight, Dark Pit still didn't fare well against Orphan's defenses. Sheba, as she had the best evasive abilities, maneuvered around until she could find one weak spot. However, that was easier said than done. Orphan was covered in cannons, so trying to get around it was a task in itself.

Inside Orphan, Noire laughed as she watched the group try to penetrate Orphan.

"Insolent fools! The Angel of Death will win this round! HA HA HA HA!"

**(LINE BREAK) **

"I see the Life Grove ahead!"

Pit cheered as the familiar sight came into view. It had been a long flight to get there from the Miracle Caves, but now their efforts could be put to the test. However, Eres had remained quiet. She was worried about something. They recently touched down on the ground, as they were pretty close.

"Something doesn't feel right. We haven't encountered a single soldier." said Eres.

"Maybe they gave up?" suggested Pit.

"No, it's just that it'd be more fun to do it myself."

Pit tensed as he heard the familiar voice and turned to the front. There, he gritted as he saw Eldran descend in front of him, his usual cockiness showing.

"Eldran."

"Ah, you remember me. How's long it been since Lord Kronos put you in a coma?" he snickered.

"Look, I have no time for you. I've got bigger plans." declared Pit.

"Oh trust me, I know. Reviving the goddess of nature. How noble of you. However, it would be much easier for Lord Kronos should she stay dead." he grinned.

"Then I'll take you down now and save me the trouble of dealing with you later." said Pit as he readied his bow. Eldran shook his head.

"Wrong little angel. It'll be me doing any sort of that. Eliminating you, the harvest goddess, and any chance of Viridi being revived will really make my day!"

At that remark, Eldran widened his arms, light blue energy forming into long spears. Two silver-blue spears in his hands, each with a sharp head at the top. Once they formed, and to Pit's surprise, a total of four more spears made of pure energy formed around him, for a grand total of six spears.

"My spears, Brionac. They'll cut through any kind of defense you hope to hide behind." Eldran sneered at the two of them.

Eres looked back between Pit and Eldran. Pit didn't get a real chance to fight Eldran the first time, but he was the strongest of the great generals. What chance did he have? However, she also doubted the any of them could take on Eldran on their own right now. She groaned as she brought out Gungnir.

"Pit, we won't be able to get to the Life Grove unless we defeat him. Neither one of us can take him on alone. You ready for this?" she asked.

Pit responded by holding up his Sacred Bow blades. He was more than ready. This guy orchestrated the whole plan with Viridi, resulting in her death. It was because of him that she learned of a father that she was better off not knowing.

Pit was normally a peaceful guy, but even he had to admit that he wanted Eldran dead.

"RAAAAAHHHH!" Pit charged straight at Eldran, ignoring Eres' cries for him to stay put. This was personal after all. Pit charged straight in and tried to slash Eldran, who blocked with his spear. He grinned at him.

"Hmmm, that was pretty fast. This might actually be fun." Eldran smirked again though as he said that. "You might want to watch your back though."

"What?"

"Pit look out!"

Right as Eres called out, Pit felt something slash horizontally across his back, causing him to yelp in pain. He jumped back, seeing the small gash across his back. It didn't hurt too much, but Pit wondered where it came from.

"Where did that attack come from?" asked Pit. As he said that, he looked back at Eldran, his 6 spears around him. One of the energy spears that floated around him had some red on it.

"What?" he asked.

"Telepathy. He's controlling the energy lances with his mind. He can command them to attack from any direction." explained Eres.

"Astute observation. Of course, that doesn't help your chances of winning." said Eldran. "You know, if you give me the heart and the seed, I might consider letting you live for now."

"Yeah right. I'd rather kill you now." growled Pit.

"Pit, come down." said Eres, gripping Gungnir. "Let's go together."

Nodding, Pit charged again with Eres right behind him. Eldran blocked both of their attacks with his physical spears, his energy spears lunging for an attack. The two jumped back out of the way, causing Eldran to target them again. The energy Brionacs charged at Pit, who deflected them with the bow blades. However, another strike, slash through his left thigh, making him stagger a bit.

"Darn it, I can't keep track of those spears." grunted Pit.

"Keep your cool. Let's try long-distance. That will give us a better chance of tracking his Brionacs." muttered Eres.

"Okay." said Pit as he changed his blades back to a bow and began firing arrows. Eldran deflected most of the arrows, although a couple impacted his chest, causing him to stagger back.

"Ugh, not bad. This pleases me! Show me more!" he laughed at the two of them. His four energy spears charged at Pit, who rolled to dodge out of the way.

"Briar Patch!"

Eres' plant spell erupted around Eldran, entrapping him in the thorny bushes. The sharp spike impaled Eldran, although he broke out before he could take a lot of damage.

"Azure Demise!"

Eldran's spears, all six of them, spun around him, glowing azure white. At once, the spears lashed out at Eres, striking her constantly with their iron heads. She yelped in pain as the strikes began to break her defenses and impale her.

"Eres!" Pit cried out as Eres feel to her feet, covered a bit in blood.

"Come on! Show me more of your power!" Eldran cried out as he jumped towards Pit, all spears at the ready. Pit rolled out of the ready, firing more arrows as Eldran impacted the ground. The arrows impacted his side, causing him to stagger.

"You're really good at running away." grinned Eldran.

"Hey, I don't run away!" replied Pit.

"Whatever. Shouldn't you be trying harder?" Eldran sneered again. "You have one weapon and I've got six. You're at a mathematical disadvantage."

"Hey, no one said there'd be math!"

Pit charged around Eldran, firing constant arrows to which Eldran blocked. Eres shot a burst of golden energy as he was distracted, landing a hit on his head.

"Don't be so impatient. I'll take care of you as well." smirked Eldran as he blocked a direct strike from Pit. At once, he shoved Pit off, blasting him with a bit of pure energy.

"Is this all?" he asked, approaching Pit and Eres, who were both catching their breath.

"He can sure take a lot of hits." groaned Pit.

"Indeed." said Eres. Eldran got within distance of them, readying his spears.

"Now di-OW!" he roared as a blast of pure fire impaled his back.

"What?" asked Pit at the sudden spin of events. Suddenly, he felt some familiar energy as someone very familiar spun her spear down on Eldran, knocking him to the ground painfully.

"Iris!" cried Pit.

Landing on the ground, Iris smiled at Pit, giving him a peace sign.

"Yo, what's up?"

**(LINE BREAK)**

Dark Pit and the others continued to fly around Orphan, looking for any kind of weak spot. To date, Orphan had only demonstrated its ability to fire an endless supply of lasers. Sheba hadn't suffered any major damage, due to her great evading abilities. Dark Pit and the mercenary on the other hand were having some troubles.

"AHHHH!" cried Dark Pit as one laser struck he left wing, beginning to make him spiral down to the ground. However, he soon felt himself stop as someone grabbed him.

"Don't worry, I've got ya." said the mercenary, trying to hold on to Dark Pit as he endured a couple lasers as well.

"We're going in circles here! How can we break through?!" cried Dark Pit.

"Sheba! Do you think you can distract Orphan?!" cried the mercenary. Sheba turned her head back, although she had to keep rolling to avoid laser fire.

"I think so. Why?" she asked.

"If it's possible, can you fight Orphan out here? Dark Pit and I are going to try and break in somehow." said the mercenary.

"Can you do that?!" asked Sheba as she narrowly dodged another laser.

"We're going to give it a shot."

"Alright, but make it fast! I can't dodge forever!" cried Sheba as she turned around and charged towards Orphan.

"Hey, I'm over here Noire! You can't hit me! Nah Nah!" taunted Sheba, even sticking her tongue out. From inside Orphan, Noire seethed at Sheba's rather immature behavior.

"Grrr, that wench! I'll show that fool! Orphan, attack!"

"Noire doesn't that girl look familiar at all?" asked Fimbulvetr.

"I don't care. FIRE!"

After briefly recharging, Orphan's lasers were redirected at Sheba. With every one of the cannons on her, she had to put even more focus into dodging, especially as one strike grazed her legs. Grimacing, she continued dodging, hardly even bothering to attack. There was no way she could get close to Orphan with every single laser on her. She could only hope for the mercenary's plan to succeed sooner rather than later.

Dark Pit and the mercenary, both on the ground, ran under Orphan, as Noire was too focused on Sheba to notice. As they got underneath, the mercenary pulled out Ragnarok, slowly burrowing into Orphan's metallic outside.

"Nice to know that Ragnarok can cut through this metal." remarked the mercenary.

"You know, I remember something Palutena told me." Dark Pit spoke up. "Isn't that sword the counterpart to Noire's Fimbulvetr?"

The mercenary stopped a bit before turning to Dark Pit, still burrowing into Orphan.

"Yes, that is true. Ragnarok and Fimbulvetr are kindred spirits in a way. However, you don't have to worry. I tamed Ragnarok years ago." he said.

"I see." said Dark Pit. He honestly wasn't too sure, but he had to trust this guy for now at least. Finally, the circle he was cutting completed, causing it to fall to the ground.

"All right, shall we?" said the mercenary.

"Definitely." spoke Dark Pit as the two of them entered Orphan from the inside.

_Still outside_

Meanwhile, Sheba continued to stay away from Noire's assault, just trying to stay alive. She caught a glimpse of Dark Pit and the mercenary cutting their way in, so they were finally on their way inside of Orphan.

However, suddenly, Orphan's cannons stopped firing. All was eerily silent on the battlefield as Sheba anxiously waited. She didn't believe for a second that Noire was done. Just at that point, the very center of Orphan's body opened up, revealing what appeared to be some kind of demonic head.

"What the heck?" she asked.

Suddenly, the "head" began charging with energy. Sheba could even feel the pull of the energy began to grab her. The head seemed to roar with energy, reaching critical levels.

"**Temporal Hollow!"**

At once, the head roared a massive burst of energy towards Sheba, too big for Sheba to dodge. Sheba tried to dodge anyway, getting away from the dead center of the blast. However, she couldn't dodge it all, and watched as the blast engulfed her, screaming out in pain as the blast impacted a nearby mountain range, reducing most of it to ashes. After finishing off most of the Einherjar, Medusa and Pyrrhon watched the event unfold.

"Oh my, what in the world was that?" asked Pyrrhon. Even he couldn't put a positive spin on that attack. Even Medusa was surprised at the reckless blast of power. Not even she had imagined that kind of power.

"You destroy those last Einherjar. I'm going to find her." said Medusa.

"You got it!" cheered Pyrrhon who blazed back into battle against a few remaining golems. Medusa warped away from Pyrrhon, going into the leveled mountain range. It wasn't too hard to spot Sheba, groaning and half-covered in dirt and sand.

"You alright there?" asked Medusa as she grabbed Sheba and pulled her back on. Sheba could barely stand. She wasn't fatally injured, but she couldn't fight in this condition.

"I…..can…st….ill…..fig…ht." muttered Sheba.

"Like hell you can. Palutena, get this girl out of here! She's no good like this." said Medusa. Sheba figured that it wasn't worth arguing with Medusa as Palutena's warping light surrounded her, bringing her back to Skyworld.

With that last attack, Medusa knew one thing. The battle with Orphan had reached a new level of dangerous.

**(END) **

**More battles await our heroes! How will this turn out? Stay tuned for more!**

**Now, we have a new weapon here. Eldran's personal spears: Brionac.**

*******Brionac***** **

**Appearance: Appears as two long silver-blue spears that Eldran wields in his hands. Each spear can generate two energy clones of it, leading to a grand total of six spears.**

**Bio: This is Eldran's personal weapon. His ability to telepathically wield the four energy spears makes him a tough opponent. It's said to even have a special ability, although no one outside of Eldran knows about it.**

*******End bio*******

**And that's all I've got. Stay tuned and keep reviewing.**

**Sentinel07, out!**


	33. Chapter 26: Fight for the Earth

**Hello people! Sentinel07 here with Chapter 26 of Kid Icarus: The Great War.**

**Thanks to everyone who enjoyed the last chapter.**

_Italics means a character's personal thoughts._

**_Bold and italics refers to quotes using telepathy._**

**Make sure you keep reading those AN's at the bottom for anything that might be upcoming.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Kid Icarus or any other referenced video game or anime.**

**YOU GUYS READY FOR A MEGA CHAPTER?!**

**THEN LET IT BEGIN! I dare say, this may be my greatest chapter yet!  
**

**(BEGIN)**

**Chapter 26: Fight for the Earth**

The Temporal Hollow attack from Orphan left a gaping scar along the mountain range. The power unleashed by the Monolith was devastating to say the least, and both Noire and Fimbulvetr were amazed by it.

"Heh heh heh, this thing is even more powerful than even Eldran said. What say we test it out further?" Fimbulvetr grinned at her wielder. However, Noire's face softened at the remark.

"I don't know. Shouldn't we just focus on Palutena's Army?" she asked. Fimbulvetr responded by smacking her head.

"You idiot! This thing has more than enough power to take on the gods. In fact, I happen to know that a human settlement is nearby. What say we give them a taste of Orphan's power?" chuckled Fimbulvetr.

Noire gave Fimbulvetr a worried look. The last thing Noire really wanted to do was perform a mass killing of humans to set an example. She knew that such a thing was fine with Lord Kronos, but it wasn't in her nature. Still, she clutched her head as a wave washed over her, grinning as she did.

"Do it. Orphan, let's find this settlement!"

At once, Orphan stopped firing at Medusa, beginning to slowly turn as the great machine started floating away.

"Where's it going?" asked Medusa.

"_**Oh no! It's heading towards the human city!"**_ cried Palutena. Medusa squinted her eyes a bit, looking in to the distance and seeing the city Palutena was referring to.

"Well, ain't that something." said Medusa.

"_**Medusa, can you make it there before Orphan does?!"**_ asked Palutena.

"Are you seriously asking me that? I can get there easily. It just depends if I want to." said Medusa casually.

"_**Medusa please! You must protect that city! Please, for me if nothing else!"**_ Palutena practically pleaded.

Medusa sighed to herself. Helping humans wasn't exactly something on her agenda. Still, letting the Earth get blown up wasn't on the agenda either. Besides, given Palutena's pleading, Medusa honestly couldn't really turn down such a request from her little sister.

"Fine." Medusa sighed as she began warping. This was more trouble than it was worth, but at least it was a chance to put a big dent in the Legion of Time's plans.

_Meanwhile, inside Orphan_

"Did you hear that?" asked the mercenary to Dark Pit. They both heard Noire's words to move Orphan. It was going to approach a human city soon. That would be a catastrophe, so they had to get to Noire's location and defeat her. Easier said than done though, given what they saw when they entered Orphan.

The place absolutely looked like a maze, with mechanical contraptions that you couldn't find just anywhere. It was almost like being in a giant wheel or something, which that was kind of what Orphan was like anyway.

"Think we can get through?" asked Dark Pit.

"We'll find out soon enough. It doesn't look like any Einherjar are here, so we just have to locate the core, where Noire should be." said the mercenary. "Are you going to be able to fight her at full strength?"

"Why do you ask?" asked Dark Pit.

"She seems to be on your mind constantly. Is there something special about her?" asked the mercenary. Dark Pit scoffed, although he couldn't deny it.

"There's….something about her. Some kind of sadness. I know that usually only Pit would care about this, but I want to know her story. She doesn't come across as bloodthirsty like the other generals." said Dark Pit. He couldn't tell for sure, but he imagined the mercenary was smiling underneath his helmet.

"Oh well, lover boy, let's get going."

"What?!"

**(LINE BREAK)**

"Come on punks! Give Pyrrhon all you got!

Meanwhile, Pyrrhon was still taking care of the leftover Einherjar, who were proving to be quite the foes for him. The sun god was beginning to feel a bit of exhaustion.

"Phew, this is working up quite a sweat. Pyrrhon's going to need a nice hot spring when this is over." he groaned before more golems began to jump on him. He smirked as he prepared himself.

"Ready for more! Because I've got more!"

**(LINE BREAK)**

"Ouch!"

"Stop squirming Sheba and let me heal you!"

Palutena had warped Sheba back after the latter was hit by Orphan's Temporal Hollow blast. Sheba hadn't suffered critical injuries but was brought back to heal.

"How can I not when everyone else is fighting their hardest?" asked Sheba, not satisfied with sitting on her butt.

"Ms. Sheba." worried Maya, who was helping with the bandages. Palutena gave Sheba a convincing smile.

"They can manage on their own. Pit and everyone else is stronger than you think, Sheba." said Palutena before going into thought. "I do wonder what's taking Prometheus and the others so long though."

"I bet they lost track of time!" giggled Maya.

"Heh heh, perhaps they did." smiled Palutena.

Pit and the others would succeed. She had faith that they would.

**(LINE BREAK)**

"Ugh!"

Pit impacted the ground, rolling along until he could get back on his feet. The battle with Eldran wasn't getting much of anywhere right now. His multiple spears style was causing a boatload of problems for the group. However, he knew that he didn't have much time to waste. He remembered Sheba telling him about the instability of the Earth right now, and Sheba wasn't here to fix whatever problems arose. They were fighting against the clock, and the clock wasn't on their side.

"This is so annoying!" growled Iris as she propped herself back up with her spear. Eldran just smirked at the group.

"I admit, you guys put up a better right than I thought. Still, nothing I can't handle." he said.

"Will you just shut up?" cried Iris as she flew straight at Eldran, blocking her strike with his spears. Iris then shrieked as two of his lances slashed across her back.

"Iris!" cried Pit. Iris ended up flying back a bit, struggling to stay upright.

"D-Don't worry about me! Pit, go to the grove!" cried Iris before charging again with a battle cry.

"Iris, why is she doing this?" said Pit as he readied himself to fly in again. However, Eres held on to his shoulder.

"Pit, she's right. We have to get to the grove and fast. We can't delay reviving Viridi." said Eres with a serious tone. Pit groaned back and forth between Eres and Iris. He knew that they were both right, but he couldn't just leave Iris to face Eldran on her own.

Still, Eres was right too. As much as he hated to, he had to get to the grove. Groaning and uttering an apology to Iris, Pit immediately started running towards the grove. The grove was in sight.

"Not so fast!" roared Eldran, flying past Eres as he made a beeline towards Pit.

"Uh oh." said Pit.

"Time to-UGH!" Eldran started to say before he was tackled by Iris from behind, impaling part of Gae Bolg into the general's shoulder.

"AUGH!" cried Eldran.

"Get going!" said Iris as she wrestled with the general. Eres ran and caught up with Pit, grabbing his hand and running with him towards the entrance to the grove.

"_**Pit, I'm sending you an Exotank. Use it to get through the grove quicker!"**_ said Palutena. As she said that, the aforementioned racing machine appeared in front of Pit and Eres. Pit wasted no time getting on the Exotank, with Eres hopping on behind him.

"GAAAH!" roared Eldran as he shook off Iris, aiming a spear throw towards the Exotank. Right before it could, Pit revved up the Exotank, getting it started as it raced into the cave, dodging the spear strike. Eldran growled to himself as his spear flew back to him. He looked back at the slightly exhausted Iris, who just grinned at him.

"Now it's just you and me, pretty boy." smirked Iris. Eldran growled again as he looked inside the cave. He fiercely grabbed his spears.

"You will pay for that!"

**(LINE BREAK)**

Medusa arrived in front of the human city, taking its size into account as Orphan began to approach the city at a rapid pace. The speed of the Monolith surprised her a bit, although not too much. The city was decently sized, nothing too bad for Medusa.

"All right, well let's see if I've still got it." said Medusa as she focused her magic. At once, she unleashed the magic, forming a translucent barrier over the city. It wasn't her strongest barrier, but she hoped that it could withstand Orphan's cannons.

"W-What's going on?!"

Medusa turned around to see a small group of the city's inhabitants, noticing both her and the Monolith.

"You fools! Get going before you die!" cried Medusa. The humans suddenly looked straight at her, instantly shrieking in terror.

"It's Medusa! RUN!" they all cried as they immediately left. Medusa groaned at them. They were more scared of her than they were at the Monolith. She didn't entirely dislike that though.

"Well, that aside, come and get me you stupid machine!" challenged Medusa as she awaited Orphan at the foot of the barrier.

_Inside Orphan_

"Noire…." spoke Fimbulvetr. Noire growled in annoyance.

"I know. They're coming. Make sure Orphan doesn't stop firing at that city." commanded Noire as Fimbulvetr took bow form once again. There was no doubt that the mercenary and Dark Pit were making their way up through Orphan's inner workings. Really clever move was her thinking, avoiding Orphan's cannons with a decoy. Still, they had to face her before deactivating Orphan. At that thought, Noire's face softened back into its normal form, lamenting what was going to happen.

Either the humans would die, or she would. That was her thinking.

_Meanwhile_

"I can sense Noire up ahead!" cried the mercenary.

"Thank goodness. I'm sick of this mechanical crud!" groaned Dark Pit. He wasn't necessarily fond of the maze-like inner workings of Orphan, relying mostly on the mercenary's keen sense of direction to get them both through. Still, it worked out fine, as they could sense Noire and the inner core up ahead.

"Finally, it's time for answers!" said Dark Pit as he clutched his Silver Bow. The duo made a couple of turns, running up some stairs before they were nearly overwhelmed by a large mass of energy. They walked out onto a small platform. There stood Noire, Fimbulvetr in hand, looking at the two of them. The inner core laid behind her.

"Noire…it's time to end this." said Dark Pit.

"Yes, it is. Today, someone will die. Either me, or those humans." spoke Noire as she aimed Fimbulvetr. However, Dark Pit shook his head.

"No one is dying today. Today is not a day to die." said Dark Pit.

"Wow, that might be the most encouraging thing you've said all day." the mercenary seemed to chuckle beneath his helmet.

"Shut up." snapped Dark Pit. Noire raised an eyebrow at Dark Pit. She expected him to declare that he wanted her dead, like almost everyone else she had met. And yet, he didn't. He wanted answers, not her life. What a peculiar angel.

"It doesn't matter. The only you can get to Orphan's core is through me." said Noire, aiming an arrow. "Stardust Arrow!"

Noire's signature strike was dodged by both warriors, who charged towards the bow warrior as she split Fimbulvetr into two blades. Dark Pit slashed at her side, getting blocked by her bow. The mercenary swung with an overhead strike, getting blocked as well.

"It's no use. Why do you try?" asked Noire emotionlessly as she pushed them back. "Why do you care so much?"

Dark Pit and the mercenary took a brief look at each other at Noire's question.

"I do whatever I want, but even I don't want this world to fall. I may have a bad attitude most of the time, but this world is my home, whether I like it or not. You're not welcome to destroy it whenever you'd like." said Dark Pit.

Noire's eyes widened at his words. What was it about this angel that struck her? He seemed nonchalant, yet he also carried his own conviction. This seemed to touch her, but she didn't know why.

"Maybe I'll find out why when I kill him." spoke Noire as she charged at Dark Pit, emitting a battle cry.

Dark Pit and Noire matched each other blow for blow, with her pushing him away as the mercenary charged in as well for a clash of the swords. The resonance between Fimbulvetr and Ragnarok seemed to shake the foundation of the core room, making them almost lose their balance. The mercenary and Noire fought back and forth as they matched each other blow for blow. The two weapons seemed evenly matched.

"Let me take care of this!" cried Dark Pit as he jumped back into the battle.

"You won't be taking care of anything!" said Noire as she jumped into the air, a new glyph forming in front of her bow.

"Quasar Eruption!"

A huge blast of large arrows rained down straight on Dark Pit and the mercenary, who rolled to the side before they could take major damage.

"Ugh, hold still damn you!" roared Fimbulvetr.

Dark Pit stood his ground, running towards Noire and matching her slash for slash again.

"Just give up already! Why do you fight when you can't win!" said Noire. Dark Pit just smirked.

"If there's one thing that stupid angel has taught me, it's that it's never over until it's over. And it's not over until this Monolith is dead and buried!"

Surprised by Dark Pit's declaration, Noire was pushed back, allowing Dark Pit a strike to her chest, causing her to lose her breath. Dark Pit then roundhouse kicked her, sending her rolling over near the edge of the platform. Staggering to her feet, Noire blocked his next strike before pushing him back to the side.

_Outside_

Orphan began firing upon the city, its blows crashing upon Medusa's barrier. The citizens screamed in terror as they watched the numerous lasers bouncing off the barrier. Medusa herself tried to fight back with her own magic.

"Negative Gate!" she cried as she summoned a dark vortex to attack the behemoth. It did hardly any effect. She was almost reduced to purely defense.

"Ugh, this is so annoying! Those fools better hurry up!" she growled.

_Back inside Orphan_

"Ugh!"

Dark Pit groaned as Noire delivered a kick to his side, sending him to the ground. Noire jumped out to a larger part of the platform, a familiar glyph forming as she formed an arrow. Dark Pit watched as he could see her crazy side forming on her face.

"Time to die mortal! Terminal Judgment!"

Once again, Noire unleashed her ultimate attack on Dark Pit. He knew this attack from before, but the long and engaging battle had left him worse for wear. He didn't have enough time to dodge. Was this the end?

"Move it!" cried the mercenary.

He jumped in and pushed Dark Pit aside, taking the blunt force of Noire's Terminal Judgment. The many arrows impacted his armor, nearly destroying most parts. The last force of the blast hit his helmet, revealing the bottom half of his face. Thankfully, he was still very much alive.

Now Dark Pit had his chance. Terminal Judgment was an attack that took most of Noire's energy. It was best used as a finishing move, and he wasn't finished.

"D-Damn it! I'll….I'll get you yet fool!" cried Noire, nearly out of energy as he face softened again. Even that crazy side of her was tired.

"Now's my chance!" said Dark Pit as he put all he had into one last strike, slashing Noire and tackling her to the ground.

"AHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Noire cried as she hit the ground, wounded but still alive. Dark Pit slightly limped over to her, as she didn't have the energy to stand. Fimbulvetr went back into Noire's body, having lost the strength to go on right now.

"Go ahead. Finish me." said Noire, a small hint of a smile on her face. "I….am your enemy after all."

Dark Pit just looked at her, seeing the peaceful look on her face. It wasn't the face of an enemy; it was someone who was looking for a home. She seemed so accepting of the idea of Dark Pit finishing her, adding more to his inner dilemma. However, he soon made up his mind. Noire was kind of crazy, but she had a story to tell. She didn't deserve death.

"Not today." he said as he grabbed Noire in his arms, as she was too tired to move. She gasped as he suddenly lifted her up, much to her confusion.

Before she could ask, both Dark Pit and she looked over at the mercenary, who was promptly smashing Orphan's core.

"Time for this baby to say good bye." smirked Dark Pit.

As the mercenary landed one final strike on the core, the platform and the surrounding area began to crumble. Orphan was crumbling down, and they didn't want to be caught up in it. Quickly, the mercenary directed a silent magic spell at the wall of Orphan, giving them an escape route.

"Time to go!" said Dark Pit as he and the mercenary jumped through, with Noire still with them.

_Meanwhile_

As Medusa blocked more lasers shots, they suddenly stopped, confusing her slightly. As she put her staff down, she grinned at the sight. Orphan's entire infrastructure was crumbling, the demonic head that fired the Temporal Hollow blast splitting in half and falling to the ground. Like a demolished building, Orphan collapsed to the ground, causing the ground to shake as the Monolith fell to oblivion.

"They actually destroyed it. Not bad." smirked Medusa as she released her barrier, panting a bit as she had used up a lot of energy. However, before she could rest, she felt something behind her.

"Huh?" she asked as she looked back, seeing a lone little girl behind her. "What do you want?"

"You were awesome, Ms. Medusa!" cried the little girl as she clapped her arms.

"Say what?" spat Medusa, honestly confused for the first time in a while. Slowly, more humans, most of them kids, came out.

"Wow, you took on the horrible monster?! Awesome!" cried a little boy.

"I don't believe it! Goddess Medusa saved us all!" shouted a man.

The crowd cheered in delight. Medusa just looked at the crowd, chanting her name like some hero. She honestly didn't know what to think. Still, she actually did smile a bit.

"Well….I guess it's nice to be appreciated."

_Orphan's Remains_

Dark Pit, the mercenary, and Noire slowly walked away from Orphan's remains. They didn't escape unscathed, as they were injured quite a bit. Still, it was nothing serious. Noire was so confused as to why she was even still alive. However, before she could talk, Dark Pit silenced her.

"Don't talk. You need a doctor, so we'll take you back to Skyworld. I get the feeling that you're not going to put up much of a fight." said Dark Pit. Noire didn't try to respond to that.

"So mercenary, you ready to head back?" asked Dark Pit. The mercenary, with the bottom half of his helmet destroyed, finally spoke to him.

"Yes, for sure."

Dark Pit immediately stopped. With part of the helmet destroyed, the mercenary's real voice was no longer hidden, and it sounded…..very odd.

"Wait a second. Who are you?" asked Dark Pit. The mercenary jumped back a bit, feeling where the helmet was destroyed.

"Crud. Guess there's no use in hiding it now."

With that, the mercenary unclasped his helmet, slowly lifting it higher and higher until it came completely off, allowing long silver hair wrapped in a ponytail to fall freely. Dark Pit looked flabbergasted as he looked at the mercenary's soft face, showing one eye covered by an eye patch and one showing red eye.

"The name's Gwendolyn Evens, but please call me Gwen." the girl, who appeared around 14 years of age, smiled at him.

A few moments passed until…

"YOU'RE A GIRL?!"

**(LINE BREAK)**

"You sure this is the way?!" cried Pit.

"Yes, just stay along this path!"

Pit and Eres raced through the caves of the Life Grove, trying to make their way into its inner chamber. Eres obviously knew where to place the Goddess Seed, but they weren't there yet. Pit just hoped that Iris was still holding up against Eldran.

However, as they ventured deeper in, they got an unwelcome surprise. The roof above them cracked open as a lone figure impacted the floor of the face. The being's dark hair instantly gave her away to Pit.

"Iris!"

Iris, a bit bloodied up and weaker, struggled to her feet as she used Gae Bolg to stabilize herself. Eldran slowly floated into the caves, all six spears at the ready.

"That's…enough of this…" he growled, slightly roasted from Pit's point of view. Obviously, Iris' fire powers really got through to him. However, it was obvious that Eldran's multiple spears had gotten through to Iris, judging by the multiple slash marks on her body.

"Crud, and we were getting closer." moaned Eres as she brought Gungnir back out. "Pit, keep on going! We'll follow eventually!"

"But you're the only one who knows where to use the seed!" cried Pit. Eldran just laughed at the spectacle before him.

"HA HA HA HA HA! Seeing you guys fumble around like this is quite amusing, I must admit. However, I grow weary of this. Time to destroy you and that accursed seed once and for all!" cried Eldran as he glowed with magical energy. The very walls of the cave seemed to vibrate as Eldran's white magic welled up.

"Countless falling stars, rain down and-AUGH!"

Suddenly, the space around Eldran began to warp and distort, causing him to disrupt his magic spell and float away. Pit and the others watched as the walls of the cave began to distort, reminding Pit of what happened back when he first met Sheba.

"Oh no! The dimension is crumbling again!" cried Pit.

"HA HA HA HA! Well, this works well enough. Even I'm not properly equipped with deal with the collapse of a dimension, but neither are you. Enjoy your last moments as you're swallowed up by the torrent and fade into oblivion!"

With that, Eldran warped away as the dark matter of the dimension began to crumble.

"Everyone! Back on the Exotank!" cried Pit.

Pit jumped back on the Exotank, with Eres carrying the injured Iris. He revved it up and they were on their way, trying to outrun the collapsing dimension.

"It's catching up!" cried Iris.

"Lady Palutena, can you get Sheba here?! We need her to stabilize this place!"

"_**No, there's not enough time for me to get Sheba down there! I'll have to warp you back out!" **_Pit briefly considered that, until he had a change of heart. What is the collapsing dimension destroyed the Life Grove entirely? Viridi's revival might be nigh impossible.

"No Lady Palutena! This is our only chance to bring Viridi back! I won't allow us to waste that chance!" Pit cried as he revved the Exotank again, gaining more speed. However, it was getting harder and harder for him to see, despite them gaining distance from the spread of the collapsing dimension. Still, Pit's sheer determination made him keep the speed. If he slowed down, they were all dead. There was no time for hesitation.

"WATCH OUT!" cried Iris.

Right then, entering the inner sanctum of the Life Grove, Pit's sheer speed crashed them right into the center room, nearly causing it to collapse around them with a bang. The impact pushed the group further in, the exit collapsing under the force of the blast, locking them inside. Pit forced himself up, brushing the dust off of him. Soon, he looked forward, his mouth dropping in awe.

It looked like a beautiful little shrine, not very big at all. A small patch of dirt was in the middle, surrounded by a small column of light.

"This is it, the room we needed to find." said Eres as she set Iris down. "The patch of dirt there is very fertile. You need to place the seed there like you would do a normal seed."

"You got it." said Pit, running up and taking the packaged Goddess Seed out. As he dug a little hole and inserted the seed, Iris looked around, hearing walls beginning to crumble. She looked towards the entrance, gasping as she saw dark matter appearing.

"Pit, hurry up! The room's collapsing!"

The group looked up, as rocks began to fall from the ceiling, with dark matter beginning to appear everywhere slowly. They were boxed in, like rats in a cage.

"Crud!" cried Pit as he covered the seed in the dirt. Eres tossed him the Heart of Mother Earth stone.

"What do I do with this?!" asked Pit.

"I don't know! Mila said that the Heart was the key to unleashing the seed!"

"You mean she never told you?!"

"Just keep working on it! HURRY!"

Pit just started hitting the covered Goddess Seed with the Heart, hoping for something to happen. Nothing happened, even as he hit it multiple times.

"Pit!" cried Iris, slowly walking back as the dark matter began to crawl towards them.

"Come on, come on!" Pit groaned. This couldn't be the end! There was no way! He couldn't let everyone down again! He let Viridi down once. If he allowed himself to fail her again, as well as Eres and Iris, he would never forgive himself. Once more, he raised the stone.

"WORK YOU PIECE OF JUNK!"

Pit brought the Heart of Mother Earth down hard on the Goddess Seed. At once, to his surprise, a bright glow began emitting from both the Heart and the Seed. At once, the Heart dissolved into particles of light, entering the Seed.

Suddenly, just as the dark matter was about to engulf the whole room, the column of light became more intense, becoming as bright as the sunlight from Skyworld. Pit watched in awe as the light became stronger and stronger, and a small plant began to emerge from the ground. As the plant grew and grew, Pit noticed the dark matter beginning to retreat, being filled with light.

Then, all at once, the plant bloomed, unleashing a burst of light that disintegrated the dark matter instantaneously. Pit shielded his eyes from the light, still trying to look at the blooming flower. However, he gasped as he did. Particles of light formed within the bloomed flower, forming a humanoid shape. Pit watched as it revealed a young girl, with long golden blonde hair.

It was a look he knew all too well.

"VIRIDI!"

As the light began to die down, Viridi's light form slipped down the flower, falling into Pit's outstretched arms. Eres and Iris ran over, with Eres on the verge of tears.

"It worked….I can't believe it really worked….Oh thank you Zeus!" cried Eres as she covered her mouth in delight. Iris felt a bit happy, although that happiness was conflicted.

"Viridi, welcome back." said Pit as he sat down, Viridi still in his arms. Suddenly, her form began to shake, her breathing coming back as her eyes began to flutter open.

"Viridi, you're back!" cried Pit. "You remember me right? Pit!"

Viridi's yellow eyes slowly fluttered, looking up and down and in all directions, before slowly landing on Pit. A few tense moments awaited after that.

Until…..

"WHAT ARE YOU STARING AT?!"

**SMACK!**

And with that, Pit immediately lost consciousness as a hard smack impacted his left check. The last thing he remembered was Eres gasping and Iris laughing her butt off.

Yep, Viridi was back.

**(END)**

**Now THAT was a chapter, ain't that right?! So many events in one chapter. I dare say it's one of my best as a matter of fact. **

**And Medusa even got a standing ovation! Maybe it will help change her mind. Or not. **

**Anyway, time for a bio for the first time in a while. It's our new character: Gwen and her sword, Ragnarok.**

*******Gwendolyn "Gwen" Evens and Ragnarok*******

**Age: 42 (appears to be 14)**

**Appearance: Typical height for a teenager. Has two eye colors: the left one is purple and the right one is red. The purple eye is covered by an eye patch for personal reasons. She has long silver hair tied in a ponytail. She wears dark armor that is more form-fitting to her body.**

**Ragnarok appears as a red and black demon who takes the form of a sword.**

**Japanese seiyu: Ami Koshimizu (Gwen) and Nobuyuki Hiyama (Ragnarok)**

**English VA: Lauren Landa (Gwen) and Vic Mignogna (Ragnarok)**

**Bio: Gwen is a mercenary of unknown parentage (as of this chapter) who typically fights for a good pay check. Long ago, she found the Demon Sword Ragnarok, mastering the soul eating swords power. Thankfully, she doesn't use that power, using Ragnarok's talents for more constructive purposes. She doesn't talk much, and is more of a bookworm than a socialist. That being said, dig deep enough, and you'll find a friend for life in her.**

**Ragnarok has violent tendencies although he has calmed down slightly since being mastered by Gwen. He still likes destroying stuff regardless.**

*******End bio*******

**Hope you enjoyed this as I know some of the events in this chapter were ones you've been waiting a long time for. Review and let me know what you think.**

**Sentinel07, signing out!**


	34. Chapter 27: An Outcast's History

**Hello people! Sentinel07 here with Chapter 27 of Kid Icarus: The Great War.**

**Thanks to everyone who enjoyed the last chapter.**

**_Italics means a character's personal thoughts._**

**_Bold and italics refers to quotes using telepathy._**

**Make sure you keep reading those AN's at the bottom for anything that might be upcoming.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Kid Icarus or any other referenced video game or anime.**

**Back from a little hiatus. That's what writer's block seems to do to you on occasion. Did you all miss me? I hope you did. Glad to be back. Now, enjoy this chapter!**

**(BEGIN)**

**Chapter 27: An Outcast's History**

The return of the goddess of nature was met with much jubilation in Skyworld, with Palutena immediately giving Viridi a fierce hug upon arrival, which only served to nearly strangle her.

"I'm so glad to see you back Viridi!" said Palutena happily.

"That's….great….Can't…..b-breathe." Viridi choked out, with Palutena mercifully letting go of her and letting her catch her breathe.

At least until another figure came up and hugged her.

"Mistress Viridi, it's so good to see you again! The sanctuary has felt quite lonely since you left!" Phosphora cheered.

"Will you….let go?" Viridi choked out again. Phosphora then let her go, and Viridi almost fell down afterwards.

"Okay….no more hugs." Viridi spat out as she caught her breath and smoothed down her clothes a bit.

On the other hand, Pit felt some kind of vindication. While he failed the first time, he brought Viridi back, just as he promised before this accursed war even began.

"We're all happy to see you back, Viridi." Pit smiled. Viridi's face went slightly red at the comment.

"Yeah well…..thanks for doing that. I…I'm sorry that I made you all worry with those stunts I pulled earlier." said Viridi with her head down.

"Not at all." smiled Palutena. "Your hands were tied. You did it so you could keep everyone else safe. There's no shame in that. It's all in the past."

Viridi was grateful to hear that. Almost everyone enjoyed seeing her back, except for a couple of indifferent ones. As one would expect, she was absolutely shocked to see Medusa among them. It took a little convincing from the others to keep Viridi from lashing out at her. In her defense though, Medusa didn't seem to have a problem antagonizing her.

Aside from Medusa, Iris had a blank look on her face. She seemed kind of happy for Viridi, but it was hard to tell. It was understandable though. Viridi and Iris had yet to really have a talk following Pit's battle with Iris so long ago.

That aside, Viridi happened to notice Gwen, who had put her half-broken helmet back on, even though it still showed half her face.

"Ah, Gwen. So Arlon brought you back?" she asked, surprising everyone a bit.

"You know her?" asked Pit.

"Yeah, she's a mercenary after all. I met her a couple times over the years." said Viridi.

"She pays well." spoke Gwen, not elaborating more after that.

"You know," started Palutena. "We should get your armor fixed up. It's the least we could do for your help."

"….That's nice, but it's not necessary. This armor will regenerate on its own." said Gwen. "….Now, if you need me, I'll be in the library."

And with that, Gwen promptly left, helmet still on. Medusa smirked to herself as Gwen left.

"So she's still not willing to tell them? Oh well, that'll come out soon enough." she laughed a bit to herself. No one picked up on what she said though.

"Didn't she say that back at the Overworld Sanctuary?" asked Sheba.

"She's kind of a bookworm." snickered Viridi. "She probably likes books more than people."

"That's kind of harsh." said Phosphora. "She's just kind of introverted. That's all."

"Honestly, I'm kind of wondering about that eye patch." spoke Pit. "I mean, why does she wear that?"

"Maybe she has a nasty scar." smirked Iris.

"Do you know, Viridi?" asked Dark Pit.

"Nope." shrugged Viridi. "She's never told even me."

The whole group sighed. That girl was still an enigma. However, Viridi wanted to talk about other stuff.

"So, are you gonna update me or what?" she asked.

"Oh right, we should do that." said Palutena.

"You ask. I've got other things to do." said Dark Pit, turning to leave.

"Where are you going?" asked Pit.

"To where Noire is. I'm sure she's waking up by now. I'd like to get my answers sooner rather than later." he sighed before walking out on them.

"Um, I think I'd like to see what that Gwen girl is up to" said Pit.

"That's kind of random. Why?" asked Palutena.

"Well, I'd like to ask her something myself." said Pit.

"I guess that's fine." said Palutena. After saying thanks, Pit ran off towards the library. He wanted to say something to their new comrade since he hadn't had the chance yet.

It raised a bit of a fuss when everyone saw that Dark Pit had brought back the unconscious Noire in his arms. He claimed that it was solely because he wanted answers, and that he didn't care about Noire herself. To be honest, Palutena didn't believe him.

"Anyway….anyone going to talk?" asked Viridi.

**(LINE BREAK)**

"Ugh, where am I?" Noire asked groggily.

The last thing she remembered was fighting Dark Pit and losing, with Orphan falling soon afterwards. She remembered at the very end Dark Pit holding her in his arms as they escaped the collapsing Monolith. That very last thought instantly got her awake, her eyes widening as she shot up in her bed, giving herself a bit of a headache as a result.

"W-Where is this place?" asked Noire.

She looked down to see that her normal clothes were gone, replaced by a simple white outfit, almost like a hospital gown. The room she was in was pretty fancy, kind of like most rooms in Skyworld for that matter. However, Noire didn't know that at all.

"It seems like you've been captured." Fimbulvetr groaned from within Noire.

"Hey, that's your fault too!" defended Noire. Still, as she tried to move, she quickly felt pain in her sides, forcing her to lie back down. She looked down to see medical wraps around her rips, most likely injured during the fight with Dark Pit and Gwen.

"You might not want to struggle too much." spoke a male voice.

Noire jumped a bit as she heard Dark Pit's voice, standing right at the door. Surprised, and a bit horrified, to see him, Noire tried to move away, only for the pain to come back.

"You're still injured big time, so I'd advise not moving for a while. That's good by the way, because now I can get answers." Dark Pit smirked. Noire gave him a confused look.

"Answers? What answers could you want from your enemy?" she asked. Dark Pit slowly walked over to her.

"Well, for someone who's supposed to be our enemy, you're surprisingly easy to scare it seems. Not only that, but those other generals seemed to bully you at every chance. I'd like to know why that is. Your answer will depend if you get to live or if I finish the job." warned Dark Pit.

He was no fool after all. He wanted answers, but he wasn't foolish enough to come unarmed if Noire was truly deceiving him.

"Why do you care so much about that? What I've gone through has no effect on you." defended Noire, honestly not wanting to talk about her past. However, Dark Pit would have nothing of it.

"I'll be the judge of that. So, are you going to talk, or am I going to have to reintroduce you to my blades?" Dark Pit threatened, making Noire flinch a bit. A little bit afterwards, she raised her arms, as if trying to put a wall up between her and Dark Pit.

"You shouldn't be worrying about me. I'm just a cursed Temporian." said Noire sadly. However, Dark Pit raised an eyebrow at her words.

"Temporian?" asked Dark Pit.

"The natives of the Realm of Oblivion. We're called Temporians." explained Noire.

"So why are you treated like crud, even though you're just like them?" asked Dark Pit as he pulled up a chair for himself. Noire seemed to hesitate as she tried to speak.

"Because I'm….different." she said.

"In what way?" asked Dark Pit.

"Hey! Why are we bothering talking to this guy?!" whined Fimbulvetr. It looked like she was trying to come out of Noire, but couldn't. Apparently, Fimbulvetr was injured too, and didn't have the strength to emerge.

"Your weapon aside, you got an answer?" asked Dark Pit, unfazed by Fimbulvetr's rant.

Noire seemed to struggle with her words before sighing to herself. She felt like she had no other choice.

"I'm different….because I wasn't born the same." she said. Dark Pit raised an eyebrow again.

"What do you mean?" he asked.

"Temporians are not usually born like humans. You see, we are born of the realm itself. There are no families, no groups or anything like that. The realm gives life to us, if you could call it that. There's no such thing as daily life in the Realm of Oblivion. It's like….everyone is like a bunch of living dolls."

Dark Pit shuttered a bit at her words. A word where the people were little more than dolls? That honestly sounded pretty creepy to him.

"And this talk about you not being the same?" asked Dark Pit.

"I….I wasn't born of the land." spoke Noire slowly. "I had…..I had parents."

"Parents?" asked Dark Pit. "You weren't born of the Realm of Oblivion itself?"

"No." Noire shook her head. "Call it an odd twist of fate, but somehow, for the first time in history, two Temporians actually fell enough in love to conceive a child. That child was me. I'm the first, and only, Temporian to be born of a natural family." explained Noire.

As crazy as it all sounded, it somehow made sense to Dark Pit. Noire didn't exactly blend in with the other generals after all.

"So what does this have to do with you being an outcast?" asked Dark Pit.

Noire struggled again with her words. The next part was especially hard for her to swallow.

"Part of Lord Kronos' army is composed of scientists. The race itself is dedicated to the highest advances of science. To them, my unnatural birth gave them a rare opportunity….an opportunity to use me…..like a guinea pig."

Noire choked on her last words, tears beginning to fall out of her eyes as she recalled her numerous experiences in the operating room, purely for the "advance of science" in the eyes of others. She had no idea what her parents were up to. She hadn't seen them in years.

As Noire covered her eyes and sobbed, Dark Pit honestly felt a little guilty for once in his life. The girl claimed that she was born unnaturally. To be honest, Dark Pit could sympathize with that. After all, had somewhat similar origins.

"Look, that's in the past now. Just get over it and move on from that." he said.

Unfortunately, Dark Pit had the subtlety of an earthquake, something that didn't sit right with Noire as her necklace briefly shinned, her face getting angry.

"Silence fool! You dare talk to me that way, mortal?! No one, especially you, should talk to me like that! You have no idea what I've gone through!" she roared at him. However, Dark Pit was in no position to stand down now.

"Yes I have!" he yelled right back.

The yell surprised Noire, her face calming down as her "psycho" side vanished for now. His words were not what she expected.

"W-What? What did you say?" she asked. Dark Pit looked her straight in the eye as he talked.

"You think you're the only one who was born unnaturally?!" he almost yelled. "Well, you're not. I'm not a natural being either."

"What do you mean?" asked Noire.

"The only reason I exist is because a certain stupid angel got too close to the Mirror of Truth." Dark Pit explained. "Even then, I was supposed to be some Underworld servant, except the mirror broke before that could happen. Now I'm a free man who does whatever he wants."

Noire looked at Dark Pit, shocked to hear those words. He even called himself unnatural, just like she did.

"So you see?" Dark Pit started. "Not a lot of difference between you and me. Perhaps that's why I felt like I needed answers."

Noire felt herself choke up a tiny bit again at his words.

"I…I've never met someone actually willing to know me like this." Noire spoke. "I haven't seen my parents in years. I began to think that no one in the universe cared about what I thought. I….I honestly don't like fighting, but they believed me to be great potential as a weapon. That's why they found Fimbulvetr and sealed her inside me." explained Noire.

"Sounds like they were all real jerks." said Dark Pit, shaking his head. "Well, that's enough for me. I guess you're not our enemy after all."

"You trust me?" asked Noire, with some hope in her voice.

"I don't think you're lying. Either that or you deserve an Academy Award. I've got enough information on you. You should get back to sleeping." said Dark Pit.

To his surprise, Noire actually giggled behind his back.

"You know, you're really sweet." she giggled. Dark Pit immediately turned a bit red at those words.

"D-Don't say stuff like that! I'm not sweet. I'm handsome." he declared.

"Sure you are." she laughed again as she laid down, causing Dark Pit to groan.

However, right before he left, he felt tension rise in the room. He turned around to see Noire's psycho side out again.

"Blasted pillows! What the hell are these?! The Angel of Death requires pillows of softest dawn! SOFTEST DAWN, DAMN YOU! " she yelled as she practically beat up her pillow.

"She really has to learn to control that." Dark Pit groaned again as he left. He had a lot of things to think about after all.

**(LINE BREAK)**

"Ah, how interesting."

Gwen was currently sitting in Skyworld's library, reading a book to herself. She still had her half-broken helmet on, apparently not willing to take it off even when alone. Still, that wouldn't be the case for long.

"Hello." piped a small voice. Gwen looked down to see little Maya looking up at her. Gwen's eyes widened a bit under her helmet. She could tell that she was human, so what was she doing here?

"Um…hello." said Gwen awkwardly.

"Do you like books? I like them too." smiled Maya as she jumped onto the couch. "Ms. Palutena's been really nice, letting me read whatever I want."

"Whatever you want?" asked Gwen. Some of the books here weren't exactly child-friendly.

"Yup, every one of them." giggled Maya.

"_For someone who thinks of Pit as her own son, Palutena's a pretty lousy parent."_ thought Gwen, not didn't express it outwardly.

"Ah, there you are." spoke Pit with a smile as he entered the library. It had been a long time since he last came in here, which was almost never. He was still illiterate after all.

"Hi Mr. Pit!" waved Maya from her seat, getting a wave back from Pit. Gwen on the other hand paid no attention to them and continued to read.

"Wow, you really seem to read a lot. Viridi said that you probably like books more than people." said Pit. Gwen briefly turned in his direction before looking away.

"Well, books don't judge you. They're easier to get along with." she spoke. "Now go away. I'm busy." she added.

Pit just smirked at her.

"Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me." Pit gave her a cheeky grin.

However, in plain sight, a slight smirk seemed to adorn Gwen's face as she put a bookmark in her book and closed it.

"Is that so?" she asked. "Well, come a little closer then."

"Um, well okay." said Pit, honestly confused at what she was doing. He walked right up to the couch, standing right beside her.

**SMACK!**

Right at that moment, Gwen raised her book and brought it straight down on Pit's head, making him feel like his head had been split into two as he fell to the ground. Maya gasped at Pit, while Gwen just pocketed the book.

"OW!" he yelled, holding his head.

"I thought you said words couldn't hurt you." said Gwen nonchalantly. Right after she began to walk out, Pit struggled to his feet.

"What did you do that for?! And for crying out loud, what kind of girl hits people on the head with books?! Hey!" Pit called as Gwen walked away.

Maya just giggled as she followed the injured angel out of the library.

**(LINE BREAK)**

Meanwhile, back in the Realm of Oblivion, Eldran was furious, for lack of a better word.

"Damn it all! We lost both Orphan and Noire?! They're so worthless!" Eldran growled, kicking over a nearby statue. Amiti just sighed.

"Relax Eldran. Noire was always the weakest of us, and Orphan was the very first Monolith and also the weakest." spoke Amiti.

"I know that, but still," Eldran sighed, putting his hands on his hips. "Wasting one of our Monoliths like that, given all the effort put into them, is very unsettling."

"That is understandable. That is why it'll be the last Monolith that falls." said Amiti.

Right after that, they felt a certain presence, all they all knew too well. They immediately bowed as Kronos walked into view.

"Eldran, Amiti, is it true that Noire and Orphan failed?" asked Kronos.

"It is true, milord. However, it is no great loss. My Monolith is just about completed. They haven't seen our full might, sir." said Amiti respectfully.

"Hmm, that is true. However, what is your plan? Are you just going to keep attacking randomly?" asked Kronos.

"So milord. Actually, I've come up with a strategy. Going against Skyworld, the Overworld, and the Underworld might be too drastic. However, if we can eliminate one, that might start turning the tide." said Amiti.

"What do you have in mind?" asked Kronos. This time, Eldran smirked and answered.

"Simple, we annihilate the Underworld. They're the weakest of the three, due to their lack of forces and their young and inexperienced leader. Eliminating the Underworld would be a great victory for us." said Eldran.

Kronos seemed to give it some thought before nodding.

"Very well. See to it that you succeed." said Kronos.

"Of course sir." said Amiti.

"So go, and eradicate the Underworld!"

**(LINE BREAK)**

Amiti had jumped down to Earth, landing in a mountain range far from Skyworld. He figured that it would be far enough to avoid detection for now.

"This spot should do perfectly." spoke Amiti.

After that, he raised his claymore and slammed it into the ground, still holding on to the handle as he concentrated, his blue energy beginning to well up. The very ground beneath Amiti began to shake as the winds also tossed and turned.

"Emerge."

Amiti's energy welled up more, beginning to form a shape in the sky. The being grew and grew, as it became larger than life. The humongous creature, almost as big as Orphan, began to tower over the mountain range, as electricity began running through its body. A whale-like form, with two arm-like appendages and a long tail roared out over the range, seemingly threatening to flatten the Earth with its shriek.

"Phantom Monolith: Ultima."

**(END)**

**Uh oh! Trouble!**

**Big trouble on the way I fear! Look forward to the next one. Things hope to pick up now.**

**And in case you need a visual reference, Ultima essentially looks like Sin from Final Fantasy X. Excellent game I must say, except for the cheap bosses at the end.**

"**And for crying out loud, what kind of girl hits people on the head with books?!"**

**I think some of you may be able to guess where I got that inspiration from.**

**Anyway, review and I'll see you soon hopefully.**

**Sentinel07, over and out!**


	35. Chapter 28: Dual Threats

**Hello people! Sentinel07 here with Chapter 28 of Kid Icarus: The Great War.**

**Thanks to everyone who enjoyed the last chapter.**

**_Italics means a character's personal thoughts._**

**_Bold and italics refers to quotes using telepathy._**

**Make sure you keep reading those AN's at the bottom for anything that might be upcoming.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Kid Icarus or any other referenced video game or anime.**

**Well folks, I'm finally back after two weeks. That's what a little writer's block can do to a guy. Hope you guys haven't forgotten about me yet. I assure you that this chapter will make up for it.**

**So, shall we begin?**

**(BEGIN)**

**Chapter 28: Dual Threats**

After Orphan's destruction and Noire's subsequent surrender to Palutena's Army, things cooled down in the following days. Such brief peace began to worry Palutena. She had sensed no moves from the Legion of Time. Were they waiting for something? She didn't know, and that worried her more than anything else. Even Medusa was a bit uneasy about it. Having opposed Palutena herself in the past, Medusa knew that something bad had to be brewing.

In the meantime, Noire had recovered within Skyworld's safe walls. Needless to say, she started to enjoy herself, once she got used to people actually being nice to her. Not many besides Dark Pit though were able to adjust to her often fits of craziness though. Phosphora in particular took the chance to really pester Dark Pit about it. As one would expect, rumors were beginning to surface about the dark angel perhaps falling for the former Great General, rumors that he denied at every chance he had.

Noire also took surprise to everyone apparently forgiving her for her past crimes, something that quite frankly confused her. She had just lead battalion after battalion of soldiers against them, and yet they were willing to take her in. Palutena pointed out that the fact that there were no human casualties caused by Noire helped, despite Orphan attempting to wipe out a city just before.

In addition to all of this, something else bugged everyone; Prometheus, Pyrrha, and Luna had still yet to return. As far as they knew, they were still in their training. Iris confirmed for sure that Prometheus was still at the Reaper Fortress, and Palutena knew that Luna went back to Celestial Court. However, it had been months since they left. Training wasn't going to do them any good if they returned after it was already over. However, Pit was confident that Prometheus would return; he believed in the Dread Reaper's skills, despite his abrasive nature.

Aside from this, Viridi was finally up to speed, and was back at work rebuilding her sanctuary. She groaned constantly after she learned that it was practically torn down after the Einherjar attack, and that Eres had taken back Gungnir. In fact, she hid behind a chair the first time she saw Eres with the golden spear, before learning that she hadn't blown anything up…..yet.

There was also the matter of Iris. With Viridi back to full health, she didn't waste much time in tracking down the Nature goddess during a visit to Palutena's Temple. The two of them borrowed a room, for Viridi knew exactly what was going to happen. It was to be the first time the two had a direct conversation since the first battle of Valhalla Plains, which felt so long ago now.

_Flashback, 2 days earlier_

"This room is open." said Viridi as she and Iris entered one of the temple's many rooms, closing it as they both got in. The silence that followed was stiffening; both of them knew what this was about, but neither knew exactly what to say.

"Well, we both know what this is about," Iris sighed as she tried to collect her thoughts. "I don't know what I can say that you don't already know."

"It's not exactly going to be easy to convince you otherwise." spoke Viridi. "I'm not going to make any excuses to what happened before. I would think you all would know that."

"Maybe," Iris looked Viridi dead in the eyes. "However, I'm not as sure as the others. After all, Kronos is your dad, and he got you to obey him once already. How are we to know that the same thing won't repeat itself?"

"It won't." said Viridi. "He has no control over me anymore. You already heard; He got what he wanted from me, so I don't have to hold back anymore."

"Maybe." spoke Iris before trailing off, turning her back as she sighed again.

"I know that Kronos isn't the only thing you want to talk about. It all comes back to the Reset Bomb incident." said Viridi, causing Iris to turn back with a glare.

"Yeah, it is." she spoke, gripping Gae Bolg in her hand. "When I look at you, I still don't see any sympathy. Do you truly care at all for what you did, or is this just the most convenient path for you?"

"Look, I've been around for many years, far more than you. I've made good and bad decisions, I'll admit. However, I've always done what I thought was best to protect the world I was born to protect. Sometimes, I've had to destroy to uphold that."

Honestly, Iris didn't take kindly to those words, gritting her teeth at Viridi.

"Oh, is that a fact? Guess I was a threat? Or perhaps my family? You don't know a thing about any of them." she spat at Viridi. Viridi's eyes began to narrow as well.

"You're not a goddess. You don't know what I've gone through," Viridi sighed yet again as she rubbed her head. "That being said, I have tried to be more lenient. There was a time where I had no problems acting immediately when I believed something was wrong. Pit convinced me otherwise. I don't know how, but that stupid angel's optimism can get infectious as times."

"That I agree with. It spreads easily." Iris actually lightened up a bit at that statement.

"Honestly, it always comes back to him. If it wasn't for Pit, I'd probably still be throwing Reset Bombs everywhere, and you'd still be fighting a war with me."

"I….guess you're right." muttered Iris before she turned to face Viridi again. "What are your intentions with Pit? You won't betray his trust again, right?"

"I….." Viridi paused again. "I trust Pit. I don't want to betray his trust or Palutena's again. He drives me crazy, but he's done a lot of good for everyone. He's pathetically naïve, but he's got a good head on his shoulders."

"That's true." said Iris.

"So, I can't say much for my future, but I am committed to ending what Kronos began." spoke Viridi with a stern look.

At that, Iris got closer to Viridi, giving her a stern look of her own, even bringing Gae Bolg up.

"I can't say if I trust you right now, but I trust Pit too. I'll go along with whatever he decides." she started.

"But know this. You give me one reason-ONE reason-to believe that you might bring harm to Pit, and you won't have to worry about your future anymore, because I will end it-permanently!"

After that, there was no more left to discuss.

_End flashback_

Not much was said beyond that conversation. It was laid to rest following it. There were far more concerning manners than petty grudges.

Anyway, now that the threat of the Monoliths had passed for the time being, Sheba made sure to remind them of what they needed to do next; it was time to go on the offensive. The only way to challenge Kronos was to build a weapon greater than the Great Sacred Treasure, and the material for such a thing resided in the Ouroboros; a space dungeon that spelled death for any who entered. Right now, Pit still had the Fire Gem that had been lost in between dimensions, so now they had to face their next task; collecting the remaining gems.

The next one was the Ice Gem, which resided in the Aurora Glacier, beyond the Arctic Circle.

Pit wasn't too fond of the idea of going to a place that cold. Thankfully, they were in mid-year right now, so it was relatively warmer, and the area didn't have blizzards at this time of year. However, as he began his flight towards the circle, he had one unwelcome thought.

The fact that Sheba was joining him.

"Did you really have to come?" Pit groaned as he flew through the air, with Sheba flying behind him.

"Yes. I would think I have a right to. I'm the one who told you about the gems after all." she smirked back.

"But I can take care of this on my own."

"Too bad, because you're not."

Pit groaned again as he refocused himself. To be fully honest, when Palutena informed him that he was going to get the Ice Gem, he had hoped that he would be going alone, just like the old days. However, Sheba essentially forced them to let her join.

"Let's just get this over with. You said that there should be no blizzards, right?" Pit asked.

"Yes I did. It's going to be a little cold either way, but the temperature should be at its warmest right now. Just before the Aurora Glacier should be the sanctuary of Lord Boreas. He's the god of the North, and rules over this area. I'm sure he'll be able to guide us through." explained Sheba.

"What's Lord Boreas like?" asked Pit.

"_**He's a nice guy. A bit laid back, but very reliable."**_ spoke Palutena through the mind link.

"Hmm, well he sounds cool." chuckled Pit. "Get it? Cool?"

"Ugh." groaned Sheba.

**(LINE BREAK)**

"Are we in position?" asked Amiti to a scout.

"Yes sir. The angel has gone to the north in search of the gem. Aroneis is in position." said the scout.

"So he is currently away from the others. That is good indeed. How about Ultima?"

"Ready to burrow, milord."

"Excellent. Begin on my command. This will be an interesting day for Palutena's Army."

**(LINE BREAK)**

Iris walked through a portal back to her sanctuary. She had made some regular trips in the past, but hadn't been there in the past week or so. As always, Thanatos and Pandora were left in charge while she was away, and she was certainly hoping that they had done their job.

"Hellooooooooo! I'm back!" Iris hollered throughout the sanctuary. She immediately heard the sound of things being knocked to the floor clumsily as her two commanders ran to greet her.

"Hoo hoo, nice to see you again, Lady Iris." chuckled Thanatos.

"How have you been, milady?" curtseyed Pandora.

"Good enough. How has the job been? No slacking I presume?" asked Iris with a rather evil snicker, immediately draining the color of the faces of her subordinates.

"Of course not! We've kept the castle in tip-top shape!" bowed Thanatos.

"Good, I'm glad to hear it." said Iris approvingly.

"I hear the war has been going well." spoke Pandora. "I even heard that you captured one or Kronos' commanders."

"Well, it was a mutual understanding so to speak." said Iris.

With that said, Thanatos and Pandora excused themselves and went back to their duties. Iris just sighed as she looked outside the sanctuary and over the barren grounds of the Underground. Truth be told, she never got used to the place. Sure, she used it in hopes of revenge earlier on, but the Underworld was hardly a place for her. Even Pit seemed to agree.

_Flashback, a few days earlier_

"What'cha up to, Iris?" asked Pit as he saw Iris sitting over the edge of the clouds holding the temple, her legs dangling over the edge.

"Oh nothing." she smiled as she looked back out. "Just watching."

Before Pit could ask, he looked forward and smiled, seeing a beautiful rainbow arching in the distance. There was a recent rain shower nearby, which only ended about an hour before. Pit noticed that Iris seemed to do this often.

"You really seem to like rainbows." said Pit as he sat next to her. Iris nodded in agreement.

"My mom always liked to watch them with me. She viewed them as a sign of good luck and fortune." she explained.

"Sounds lovely." said Pit. "Funny, I don't think we have a god for those. We seem to have gods for most phenomena, but not for rainbows. Curious, isn't it?"

Surprisingly, Iris began to giggle after Pit's statement.

"What's so funny?" he asked.

"That you know the word "phenomena". Not bad for someone who is illiterate." she giggled.

"Hey, I'm not that bad." Pit huffed to himself. Iris laughed some more before turning her eyes back to the skies.

"So you don't have a god for rainbows. That is funny." she said.

"Lady Palutena once told me that there is a shrine dedicated to them though, in another part of Skyworld. It's quite a bit away though, beyond some mountains." he explained.

"Interesting. Perhaps I should take a look sometime." Iris smiled. "I don't get to see these in the Underworld."

"Yeah, I guess you wouldn't." said Pit. "Honestly, if I may say, a job in Skyworld would suit someone as sunny as you more than the Underworld."

"Did you just call me "sunny"?" Iris questioned with a knowing smirk. Pit raised his hands in defense.

"Hey, I didn't mean anything by it!" he said, making Iris laugh again.

"No, it's no problem. But thank you Pit." Iris smiled at him.

_End flashback_

"Sigh, oh well. Guess I'm stuck in this profession." Iris sighed as she looked over the red and black "skies" above the Underworld.

"What I wouldn't give to see a rainbow."

**(LINE BREAK)**

Far away from anyone's notice, Ultima burrowed into the ground, making its way into the Underworld below. Legion of Time soldiers followed it in, with Amiti directing them from atop the beast. Amiti took one look back to make sure that they were all inside.

"All right, looks like we're set." muttered Amiti as he briefly fixed his glasses, smirking as he did. He was going to have fun with this.

"Ultima, Absolute Barrier!"

And with that, Ultima began to glow, releasing a shockwave throughout the whole the world.

**(LINE BREAK)**

"There's the Arctic Circle." said Sheba.

The two of them passed by the imaginary line that circled the arctic, reaching its icy shores. However, that wasn't what Pit looked at though. He was looking more inland.

"Woah….check it out." Pit said as the two of them looked forward.

For lack of a better word, the place was beautiful, as crystalline structures erupted from all sides, making it look like some kind of icy wonderland. The sun glistened off the structures, almost untouched for millennia most likely. Pit and Sheba couldn't help but smile.

"Wow, it's so beautiful." said Sheba.

"Yeah, definitely." spoke Pit.

Soon after arriving, Pit's Power of Flight wore out, causing them both to go on foot. However, neither felt like they were in a rush, so they didn't get an Exotank or anything, walking through the marvelous glacial structures.

"I never imagined the Arctic looking like this." said Pit.

"It's amazing to see a place relatively untouched by humans. You don't see many of them these days." said Sheba.

"I guess you're right about that." said Pit.

The two of them enjoyed a brisk walk further inland, as there wasn't any resistance, which kind of worried Pit a bit. Why wasn't the Legion trying to stop him? It didn't make much sense, unless losing Noire and Orphan crippled their plans. However, Pit may be naïve, but he wasn't so stupid to believe that the Legion was on their heels. Not with someone as strong as Eldran.

Suddenly, Pit began feeling a shift in the wind.

"Sheba, do you feel that?" asked Pit. He could see that Sheba was looking around as well.

"Yes, I do. Quite a chill actually." she said.

The two of them kept walking forward, although the chill slowly started to worsen. Before it got worse, Sheba took out some winter gear she had brought along just in case, bringing some light blue boots and a jacket for herself and even brought Pit's own jacket that he hadn't worn in years.

"You might want to put this on before you catch something." said Sheba as she put her hood on. Pit didn't need to be told twice as he got his jacket on. It had built-in appendages for his wings to fit through.

However, as they continued to walk, Sheba turned her eyes towards the skies and gasped. The clouds were quickly gathering, as if a massive storm was coming in. Bits of snow were beginning to be tossed around by the wind, worrying Pit.

"Um, didn't you say that there were no blizzards at this time of year?" asked Pit.

"There shouldn't. This is unnatural." said Sheba.

Right at that moment, the winds picked up, nearly blowing them over. The storm clouds above darkened, as snow began falling and flying all over the place. Pit could feel the temperature take a massive drop as the sudden blizzard began picking up.

"Ugh, this is crazy! Lady Palutena, can you hear me?" called Pit. He heard no answer.

"Lady Palutena, please answer!" Pit called out even louder. "Why isn't it working?!"

"Something is blocking the mental link. I can't reach anyone!" cried Sheba as she zipped her hood up to shield her face from the snow.

The two of them tried to help each other stay upright as the winds got worse. By now, Pit could barely even see since it was so bad. This was one of the fastest storms he had ever seen.

"How does a storm form this fast?!" he asked.

"They don't! Someone must be doing this!" cried Sheba.

"The Legion?!"

"Most likely!"

However, they didn't have much time to talk about it. If they didn't find shelter, they ran the risk of freezing to death, and they couldn't even contact the others to help them. They weren't even aware that they were in danger.

**(LINE BREAK)**

Amiti smirked as he sensed the changes in the Arctic.

"Well done Aroneis. That should keep them out of our hair."

**(LINE BREAK)**

"When am I going to be able to do anything?" groaned Viridi as she hit her head on the table.

Right now, she was back in Palutena's Temple, eating a snack with Palutena and Medusa. With the lack of soldiers to fight, Viridi had yet to take part in any battle, and she was getting anxious.

"Don't worry, I imagine you'll get out there soon. I do wonder why they've been so quiet as of late." said Palutena.

"Nothing good, I can tell you that much." said Medusa as she took a sip of tea. Viridi just groaned again. Sitting around really wasn't her style.

_Meanwhile_

Noire carefully aimed a shot towards the target, trying to focus as she let the arrow fly.

**SLAM!** It landed just wide of a bulls eye.

"That was terrible!" whined Fimbulvetr as she emerged from the bow. "Aim better!"

As she said that, she started poking Noire in the head, getting soft cries from the auburn-haired girl.

"Ow ow ow ow! Stop hitting me! That's not going to improve my aim!" Noire cried out.

"Well, I have to try something! I don't really care what side you're on as long as you keep things interesting! Being a lousy shot isn't interesting!" Fimbulvetr cried out as she went back into the bow.

Noire gently rubbed her slightly injured head as she geared up for another shot. She knew that Kronos and the others wouldn't just let her stay here with no problems. They would either retrieve her or kill her; most likely the latter. Besides, she owed it to Palutena and the others to repay their kindness despite the fact that she was once their enemy. Still, it was nice having friends for once.

**(LINE BREAK)**

"Ah Gwen, what brings you here?" asked Iris as she spotted the girl walking up to her.

"Figured I'd visit. This is where I came from after all." said Gwen, who had her helmet off for once, her silver hair still in its ponytail.

"By the way, where in the Underworld did you come from? I haven't seen you around." said Iris.

"Well…." started Gwen, obviously not comfortable with discussing such a thing.

However, she was interrupted as Thanatos roared into the scene.

"Lady Iris! We have a problem!" he cried as he fell to the ground in his hurry, getting everyone's attention.

"What is it?" asked Iris as he composed himself.

"Milady, there's a giant ship on its way here. It's the Legion of Time. Hoo hoo hoo!" He cried out in fear.

"What?!" Iris cried out. "How did they get in here without us knowing earlier?!"

"I-I don't know. They just appeared out of the blue! Look!"

Everyone looked outside, and saw their worst fears confirmed. One giant ship, resembling a whale-like monster, followed by hundreds of soldiers, were making their way towards the sanctuary, while firing shots left and right, destroying much of the Underworld's ground level.

"This isn't good. We've got to get help!" cried Iris, who immediately opened a dark portal. However, as she tried to run through it, she hit something, as if running into a wall. Gwen put a hand up to it, and couldn't get past either.

"It's some kind of barrier. The Underworld has been sealed away from outside interference." said Gwen, making everyone else there shudder.

"Oh no. This is very bad." worried Iris. She had never faced a large-scale invasion like this. Her forces were totally outmanned.

"We'll have to defend the sanctuary ourselves. I'll join you for this battle." said Gwen as she put her helmet back on.

"But don't you only work for cash?" asked Iris. She could see Gwen smirking from underneath the helmet.

"Hometown discount." she said. Everyone would be needed if they were to survive this bout.

Meanwhile, Amiti smirked as he rode atop Ultima on its way towards the sanctuary, leaving a trail of destruction in his wake.

"By the time we're done, the Underworld Sanctuary will be Ground Zero."

**(END)**

**Phew, feels funny to be back. Glad to be back though, and I hope you all enjoyed this.**

**Now, I have a little trivia for you. I used a line from a very popular cartoon, although I did paraphrase it a bit to fit:**

"**But know this. You give me one reason-ONE reason-to believe that you might bring harm to Pit, and you won't have to worry about your future anymore, because I will end it-permanently!" **

**I'm curious to see how many will guess correctly. It's slightly paraphrased, but it's mostly the same. Can you guess the show this came from and who said it? I'll give a shout out to whomever does, and maybe even a preview of the next chapter if I'm feeling nice. **

**Well, that's all for me. Thanks for tuning in, and I'll see you soon.**

**Sentinel07, out!**


	36. Chapter 29: Wrath of Ultima

**Hello people! Sentinel07 here with Chapter 29 of Kid Icarus: The Great War.**

**Thanks to everyone who enjoyed the last chapter. Congrats to essentially everyone who reviewed because they all got the question right and I don't feel like listing every single person. I guess now I know where most people who have read this swing so to speak.**

**_Italics means a character's personal thoughts._**

**_Bold and italics refers to quotes using telepathy._**

**Make sure you keep reading those AN's at the bottom for anything that might be upcoming.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Kid Icarus or any other referenced video game or anime.**

**Well, I gotta be honest with myself. The trivia question from last chapter may have been my WORST idea yet. Not only did it turn out to be super easy (didn't know everyone actually watched that show), but in the reviews, that was all everyone talked about. No one really gave their thoughts on the chapter itself, so I might be done with those.**

**Also, I know I said those who got it right would possibly get a chapter preview, but since I'm getting this chapter out quickly, I think it'll satisfy you more than a preview.**

**Another note, with the last chapter, I'm happy to announce that Kid Icarus: The Great War has now surpassed 10,000 views since it began back in May. I can't thank you all enough for reading this story! :)**

**Anyway, chapter time!**

**(BEGIN)**

**Chapter 29: Wrath of Ultima**

"What in the world is that?" Iris asked as the looming figure seemed to inch ever closer to the Underworld Sanctuary.

"If I had to guess, it's another Monolith. I guess it makes sense for them to have more than one. My guess is this one belongs to either Amiti or Eldran." explained Gwen as she unsheathed Ragnarok.

"You're kidding." Iris sighed as she saw the giant beast blasting the plains around the sanctuary. "Hey, it's not the best looking place, but it's all we've got!"

"Um….Lady Iris? I really don't think they care." Gwen sighed at the remark.

"I suppose." remarked Iris as Gae Bolg appeared in her hands. "Do we have any way of contact? How about using telepathy?"

"It's no good!" cried Thanatos. "We can't get in contact with Skyworld, or anywhere else for that matter."

"Pretty resourceful." remarked Gwen. "To put up such a barrier that could effectively cut off the Underworld from any other part of the world. Not bad, you gotta admit."

"Is this really the time for talking?!" Pandora cried as she appeared in the room. "The Underworld Army has been deployed, ma'am!"

"Good." said Iris. "Hopefully, the forces I still have will be sufficient enough. Let's go have a chat with our new guest."

"Yes ma'am!"

**(LINE BREAK)**

Medusa couldn't concentrate as she felt something surge through her, as if something wrong was happening.

"Medusa, are you alright?" asked Palutena.

"I'm fine." she scoffed. "But something feels off. Iris returned to the Underworld, correct?"

"Yes she did."

"Then I need to take a trip." said Medusa as she summoned a dark portal in front of her. However, as she tried to walk through it, it felt like a wall had appeared in front of it; she couldn't walk through, which immediately angered her.

"What the devil is this?!" she cried out as she tried to force her way through, but to no avail.

"What's going on?" asked a worried Palutena. "Is the path to the Underworld cut off?"

"How could that happen? What kind of power shuts off an entire world?" asked Medusa. However, both of them knew the answer to that, but the method amazed them both.

"For Kronos to have that kind of power. Well, I guess it's no surprise since he is one of the Creators." pondered Palutena.

"Forget the philosophy, I'd rather figure out how to get past the barrier." spat Medusa. "No doubt they're probably invading the Underworld right now. In case you've forgotten, this world can't exactly operate right without the Underworld."

"You are correct. Perhaps I should inform Pit of this." said Palutena as she began trying to contact Pit. However, Medusa noticed her face scrunching up before becoming filled with worry.

"What is it?" she asked.

"I can't get in contact with Pit. It's like something's blocking it." said Palutena.

"You're kidding. Something that can block communication between you and Pit? When did this kind of stuff happen?" asked Medusa.

"Well, it did happen once, back when Hades ate Pit. He still has nightmares about that actually…" Palutena trailed off. Medusa bonked her on the head before too long though.

"Focus, you idiot! What could be causing this?" Medusa spat out. However, before they could talk for much longer, a Centurion burst into the room.

"Lady Palutena! Urgent news!" cried the soldier.

"What is it?" asked Palutena, already dreading what was to come.

"A blizzard has appeared over the Arctic Circle! It's preventing any and all entry!" the soldier reported.

"What?!"

**(LINE BREAK)**

Pit and Sheba continued to make their way through the blizzard, unable to see much in front of them. To be honest, it was beginning to wear down on both of them. Pit wasn't exactly a cold-weather angel, and he was barely holding up. Sheba fared a tiny bit better, if you could call it that.

"Sheba…we really need to find shelter." Pit huffed and puffed as he tried to maintain his footing in the building snow.

"I know….just give me a second." Sheba cried back as she looked around. She couldn't navigate at all; it was pure white in all directions. She had no idea how close they were to Lord Boreas or the Aurora Glacier.

Meanwhile, Pit was feeling the effects of both exhaustion and the blizzard drenching his clothes. He had never felt this cold, and he felt as if he was losing his balance. The world was becoming blurry to him, until he couldn't see at all.

**PLOP! **Pit fell straight down into the snow, the blizzard rapidly trying to bury him alive.

"PIT!" Sheba cried back as she went and dusted the snow off of him.

"Pit, are you awake? Speak to me!" she cried as she turned him over and tried to wake him up. To her horror, he was beginning to show obvious signs of hypothermia. Since he didn't weigh much, Sheba was barely able to lift him on to her back, although that in itself was a struggle.

"Come on Pit! Stay with me! Don't give up now!" she cried back, trying to rouse him awake, but to no avail. Things weren't exactly looking bright for Sheba, as the weight of the blizzard and Pit soon brought her to her knees.

"Hellooooo?! Anyone out there?!" she cried out over and over, hoping for some response. It wasn't looking too good. She felt her world blurring away as well.

Until….

"Who's out there?!"

Sheba looked up again to barely see two figured running through the blizzard as if it was nothing at all, both dressed in heavy winter gear. One was obviously a male, with the other a female.

"Celsius! Help me get them up!" cried the male.

"Don't tell me the obvious, Klein!" shouted the female.

After the tiny squabble, Sheba felt herself being picked up by the male, with the female grabbing Pit. She could feel the two whisking them through the blizzard somewhere, although she couldn't tell where before passing into unconsciousness.

**(LINE BREAK)**

"Yes, Ultima. Destroy everything in your path." sneered Amiti as laser blasts from Ultima rained down upon the barren land. He watched as Underworld soldiers began to converge upon his location, although it did little to startle him.

"Take them down."

The Legion soldiers around Ultima engaged the Underworld Army. The two armies matched each other in mid-air, although they did little to stop Ultima's advance. Now it wasn't any more than a few miles away from the Sanctuary.

"Guess I'll go on ahead. Ultima, continue your rain of destruction until I return." he commanded as he warped ahead to the front of the Sanctuary, taking in the sights as he hoped it would be the last.

"Not too bad looking. Pity though." he smirked.

"Amiti!"

Amiti turned as he heard his name heard. He saw Iris and the others forming around the entrance. Alongside her were Gwen, Thanatos, and Pandora. Amiti smirked at the sight.

"Ah, so the Lady of the Underworld decides to face me with her little entourage. Where's your angel friend? Isn't he usually with you?" he sneered again.

"So you are the cause of the barrier." spoke Gwen, who had Ragnarok at the ready.

"Impressive, isn't it? That is just one of Ultima's powers."

"Ultima?" asked Iris.

"Correct." Amiti pointed up to the sky, right up to the looming behemoth. "Phantom Monolith: Ultima. Its power is beyond belief."

"In case you've forgotten, I've already helped take one Monolith down." spoke Gwen emotionlessly.

"True." Amiti smirked again. "But Orphan can't be compared to Ultima. Orphan was the first Monolith; the prototype to put it another way. You think we don't learn from our mistakes? Orphan was mostly a throwaway, kind of like its owner."

Iris growled at Amiti's last comment.

"How could you say that about Noire? She was your teammate." she spoke. She shuddered a bit though as Amiti gave a small and rather hollow laugh.

"She was an experiment; hardly more. We tried to get as much out of her as we can, but she never really fulfilled expectations. All she was good for was learning how to better the rest of our army so the same mistakes wouldn't be repeated. The Legion of Time has no need for dead weight."

"That's despicable." spoke Gwen. "That must be how you view the whole world; why you're even trying to invade Earth. Everything must be dead weight to you guys."

However, Amiti just shook his head at the group, giving them a mocking smile.

"We have just one goal; to unify this world under Lord Kronos' rule. That is the only way to keep the world from destroying itself." he said.

"Destroy itself?" asked Iris.

"Correct. You've seen how the war plunges into war every now and then. Whenever opposing groups gain power, they seek to use it. Such things such as freedom and heart have no place in a truly peaceful world. That is what my lord seeks; a utopia under his rule, where there is no war, no conflict. Such things will disappear, and that will be our grand age."

The explanation from Amiti kind of caught the group off guard, although Gwen showed no emotion through her mask.

"That sounds kind of hypocritical don't you think? You're using war to end war?" she spoke. "And what of the humans? You don't seem to show any remorse for the ones who were killed as a result of your manipulation of Viridi."

"Gwen…." spoke Iris.

"With revolution comes sacrifice. If you cannot understand that, then you deserve to die with the others." chuckled Amiti.

At once, Amiti raised his hand, his claymore appearing in blue flames as more Legion soldiers gathered around him.

"Well, I'd say that's enough exposition for one chapter. Time to do what we came to do. I'm not to leave until this place is reduced to ash. Legion of Time, attack!"

**(LINE BREAK)**

Pit slowly felt his eyes opening to a bright light, which he soon imagined did not mean he was back in Skyworld, mostly due to the fact that it was freaking cold!

"Brrrrr!" cried Pit as he shot up, briefly giving himself a headache thanks to the sudden movement. However, what he saw confused him. He seemed to be in a room, almost not unlike the rooms at Palutena's Temple, except a bit colder.

"Ah, you're up. About time." spoke a voice from the door. Pit turned around to see a man there, appearing as a teenager. He had short black hair, wearing dark clothes, but sporting white gloves and boots. He wore a pair of gauntlets on his gloves.

"W-Who are you?" asked Pit, hugging the blanket around him.

"The name's Klein, and you, my friend, am extremely lucky to be alive. Thank goodness that Lord Boreas can still sense anything in the area." smirked Klein. The name he mentioned caught Pit's attention.

"Boreas?" he asked.

"Yes, this is Lord Boreas' domain. I imagine this is what you came here to look for. You and your partner passed out from the blizzard, but you're safe here. Lord Boreas has his own barrier around the temple." explained Klein.

"Phew, well that's a relief." sighed Pit. Right as he said that, he felt his stomach rumble, making him blush. Klein just smirked.

"Sounds like you're hungry. Fittingly, we are just about to eat. Care to join?" asked Klein.

"Yes, definitely!" cried Pit.

_Later on_

After waking up, and still having the blanket around him, Pit followed Klein to a dining hall, where everyone else was. Sheba was there, sniffling to herself and occasionally sneezing. Next to her was a black-haired girl with a pale complexion. Her clothes were an assortment of white and dark blue. Surprisingly though, her arms were uncovered, and she had dark blue markings along her fair skin. The same even applied for her legs.

"That's Celsius." explained Klein.

Then finally, Pit looked to the front of the table, where a man sat. His clothes were also an assortment of white, dark blue, and black. He wore a buttoned-up trench coat, with pants and boots underneath. His face looked stern, but Pit could see him smiling.

"Ah, welcome friend!" cried the man, getting up and shaking Pit's hands vigorously. Pit wasn't sure what to think as the strength of the man made him jump up and down, much to Sheba's delight.

"U-Um, t-thank y-you s-sir!" cried Pit as he tried to keep his balance.

"Please enjoy a meal on the house! The least we could do for hospitality!" laughed the man.

"You're too kind sometimes, Lord Boreas." said Klein as he took a seat.

Pit gawked a bit as he heard the revelation. This man was Lord Boreas, God of the North? He immediately bowed to the man.

"Ha ha ha ha! No need for that stuff here, kid. Eat up!" said the man.

"Well, if you say so." said Pit, sitting down and beginning to dig in happily. Sheba smiled as Pit happily engorged in his usual habits, although they disgusted Celsius a bit.

"Ugh, he eats like you, Klein." she smirked.

"Me? You're the pig around here!" he retorted.

"You never chew before eating!"

"You never use utensils!"

"Slob!"

"Pig!"

"All right, enough out of both of you." spoke Boreas, taking his own seat. Both of them shut up after that. After a while, Pit decided to ask about what happened.

"So, um, Lord Boreas, did you cause that storm?" asked Pit. Boreas' face turned stern, shaking his head as he did.

"That was no storm of mine. I'm generally not one to use my power so recklessly. Something has taken up residence in the Aurora Glacier, and is causing the disturbance. I have yet to go check myself, but it's probably that Legion of Time that I hear has been a pain in the ass over the last few months." explained Boreas.

"Do you know what kind of creature?" asked Sheba.

"I haven't laid eyes on it. I was going to go check on it soon, but then I heard that Klein and Celsius had found you guys out cold in the snow." said Boreas.

"Thank goodness for that." sighed Pit.

"We've come for the Ice Gem said to be in the Aurora Glacier." explained Sheba. Boreas nodded as if he already knew.

"I figured that was the case. Heading for the Ouroboros, of course. The Gem does lie in the Glacier. I imagine that the Legion is currently looking for it, and caused the storm to weaken anyone inside and keep outside support out." explained Boreas.

"For real. You really were a mess when we found you. Klein went nuts over you, trying to make you presentable." giggled Celsius.

"I take pride in my work, thank you very much." defended Klein. Boreas chuckled as his two comrades bickered yet again.

"Well, that aside, my magic seems to have worked well on you. If you wish, we'll get you to the Glacier. Klein and Celsius can get you there." said Boreas.

"What about you?" asked Sheba.

"Well, gods always let the subordinates get the first crack. Isn't that right, Pit?" smirked Boreas.

"True." sighed Pit, knowing how he was always in battle instead of Palutena.

"Then it's settled."

**(LINE BREAK)**

Ultima's lasers continued blasting every inch of the Underworld, leaving the barren land even more barren than before.

Believe it or not, Amiti had not directly taken part in the battle. Even after summoning his claymore, he laid back and allowed the Time soldiers and the Einherjar to battle the Underworld Army. He hovered around Ultima as it continued its way towards the Sanctuary.

Along the way, as Underworld soldiers came from underneath, Ultima raised its large claw, swiping down on the monsters and impaling them into the ground below.

"How many weapons does that thing have?" asked Pandora as she cut open another Tallon with her blade.

"I guess every part of it must be a weapon." said Gwen as she sliced up a Golem.

"Ugh, this is boring! Where's the fun in killing when it gets so repetitive?" complained Ragnarok from inside the sword.

"Shut up Ragnarok and keep focus." said Gwen, not losing focus as she targeted a Wraith.

By now, Iris was fighting with Gae Bolg's true strength, black armor hardening around her body as the Corpse Hunt mode of Gae Bolg activated. It was the first time she used this form of Gae Bolg since her fight with Pit so long ago, but she was stronger now. There was no turning back as she welled up her magic.

"Crimson Flare!"

Iris' fire spell engulfed a good amount of simple Time soldiers, reducing them to ash. Gwen was quick to answer with her own tricks.

"Raging Drive!"

Multiple blasts of dark fire burst through the ground around two Golems, shredding them with each strike until they crumbled.

"Trick Mirror!" Pandora used her array of tricks and trips on the unsuspecting soldiers, taking down many at once.

Iris grabbed one soldier and head locked it into submission, throwing it into another soldier and impaling them both afterwards. She twirled her spear, jabbing two more and tossing them away while kicking away another. Igniting a Kresnik Lance attack, she seared through another soldier and tossed it into the crowd.

"How many did they bring?" she asked, trying to catch her breath.

"Don't ask me. I didn't get to see the army roster." said Gwen as she impaled Ragnarok into a Wraith, sending it into the ground.

Meanwhile, Amiti continued to watch, amused as the group tried to hold off the army.

"Time to show some real power. Ultima!" Ultima rose at Amiti's command. He smirked as he gave the order. "Giga Graviton."

At once, Ultima's mouth began to open, bursts of thunder and electricity surging through its system. The power gathered until Ultima fired it at the Sanctuary.

**BOOM!**

Ultima's blast literally blew away a tower on the Underworld Sanctuary, sending it crumbling to the ground. Iris and the others gasped at the sight.

"How did it do that?" asked Iris.

"It looked so effortless." muttered Gwen.

"And that is only a taste." chuckled Amiti. "Ultima, continue on! Show them your wrath!"

Ultima's blasts got worse, destruction raining down around the Sanctuary as its very walls began to crumble. Another Giga Graviton blast hit towards the middle of the Sanctuary, blowing it to ash in the wind. Every blast sent shockwaves around it, knocking down the warriors as they tried to fight.

"How are….we to beat this?" groaned Gwen as she picked herself up, dusting debris off of her.

Ultima's differences from Orphan were becoming ever more obvious. This Monolith was in an entirely different league.

**(LINE BREAK)**

However, from above, help was on the way.

"I sense something coming." said Palutena all of a sudden.

"I do too, and a familiar one at that." smirked Medusa.

Both of the goddesses looked up, seeing a blue streak raining down from space above, zipping straight through Skyworld and heading towards the surface. Joining it, a second streak was fired from above, going ahead of the blue streak and impacting the barrier between long enough for the blue streak to get through before it closed up again.

Suddenly, Viridi shot into the room.

"Okay, what did I just see?!" she demanded from both of them. Palutena just face palmed.

"How can they do that?" asked Palutena.

"Guess that's what Galaxy Spirits do." shrugged Medusa.

**(LINE BREAK)**

"What's this?" asked Iris as she felt something coming. However, she couldn't concentrate on it long before Einherjar were on her on crazy. She and Gwen were surrounded by the Einherjar now.

"This….isn't good." spoke Gwen, gripping Ragnarok.

"Is this how it ends?" spoke Iris, trying to keep her composure. "I wish I could have spoken to Pit one last time."

"Don't write your will yet, Iris. We're not dead yet." spoke Gwen, as if trying to convince herself as much as Iris. Amiti smirked from his perch around Ultima.

"Finish them, Einherjar." he commanded.

Suddenly, as the Einherjar began to converge around them, the two girls heard a voice in the air. It was soft and melodic, and also quite familiar. It was chanting:

"Life of the earth, and symphony of the spirits. Gather before me and imprison my enemies."

"Who is that?" asked Gwen. However, she looked at Iris, who was looking up and gasping. She herself looked up, seeing a bright blue streak heading down towards them.

"Get down!" She immediately grabbed Gwen and dragged them both down to the ground hard. The Einherjar just looked up in confusion as bright blue energy surged above them.

"FORSETI!"

A large blast of ice surged down from above, covering the land around the girls in ice, completely immobilizing the Einherjar.

"What?" asked Amiti as he saw the once barren land around the girls completely covered in ice. How could there even be ice in the Underworld? Only a truly powerful spell could do that.

Iris smiled as she slowly got up.

"You're back." she breathed in happiness.

She and Gwen watched as the blue streak landed on the ground, the energy dissipating as the being took form, wearing familiar white and light blue clothes, and clutching a dragon-like double-bladed spear in her right hand. Her short blonde hair flew around as the winds picked up. The gentle look of her electric blue eyes were all too familiar to Iris, much to her delight.

"Luna!"

**(END)**

**And another chapter is in the books. Quite a lot of stuff happening huh? The Moon Goddess is back! Time for some ass-kicking in the next chapter!**

**All right, I know that I said I might not do this anymore, but I've decided to give trivia one more try. Here's the line from the chapter:**

"**With revolution comes sacrifice. If you cannot understand that, then you deserve to die with the others."**

**This time, the quote is from a video game, and also one of my all-time favorite GameCube games. Think you can guess the video game and the character who said it? If you've missed out on this particular game, you have missed out on a classic.**

**The FIRST REVIWER to get it right gets the shout out!**

**Also, for the first time in a while, we've got NEW CHARACTERS! Now, they aren't going to play a large role, kind of like how Poseidon opens the sea for you and never appears again. Nevertheless, I enjoyed writing them, so here they are: Boreas, Klein, and Celsius.**

*******Boreas, Klein, and Celsius*******

**Age: Boreas appears as someone around early 30's. Klein and Celsius resemble 16-year old teenagers.**

**Appearance: Already explained in chapter. Way too detailed to repeat again. **

**Japanese seiyu: Toru Okawa (Boreas), Noriaki Sugiyama (Klein), and Rie Tanaka (Celsius)**

**English VA: Steven Blum (Boreas), Todd Haberkorn (Klein), and Kira Buckland (Celsius)**

**Bio: Boreas is the God of the North, and commands over the Arctic region. He doesn't command an army though, instead utilizing his pet, Fenrir, and his close comrades: Klein and Celsius. They have been his comrades for centuries, and often bicker for the dumbest reasons. Many people have noted that they can't tell if they fight like siblings or like an old married couple.**

*******End bio*******

**Well, there you go. Review and let me know what you think. I'd like to know what you all liked most about the chapter, assuming you liked it at all.**

**Sentinel07, out!**


	37. Chapter 30: Ice Ice Baby

**Hello people! Sentinel07 here with Chapter 30 of Kid Icarus: The Great War.**

**Thanks to everyone who enjoyed the last chapter. Congratulations to superbigz for getting the question right and getting it right first. :)  
**

**_Italics means a character's personal thoughts._**

**_Bold and italics refers to quotes using telepathy._**

**Make sure you keep reading those AN's at the bottom for anything that might be upcoming.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Kid Icarus or any other referenced video game or anime.**

**Well, might as well keep the ball rolling. Time to keep these battles going. Hard to believe we're up to Chapter 30. I never imaged the story would go this long when I started in May.**

**By the way, I also have a word for guest reviewer Maikou, assuming he or her is still reading this. If you've got something to say, give it to me in the form of constructive criticism instead of just bashing how I handle language or violence. Your opinion means nothing to me if you're just going to rant at me. That's why your latest review was deleted and disregarded.**

**Anyway, chapter time!**

**(BEGIN)**

**Chapter 30: Ice Ice Baby**

"How much further is the Aurora Glacier from here?" asked Pit as he kept up with the group.

After resting for a tiny bit at Boreas' place, Pit insisted that he and Sheba get going again to the glacier. Obviously, since they would have no chance on getting in on their own, Boreas instructed Klein and Celsius. The two warriors were happy to carry out Boreas' instructions, although they apparently were in capable of doing it in a quieter fashion.

"Butt out Celsius! I'm taking the lead here!"

"Dream on! You've got the navigational skills of a broken compass!"

"Better that than someone who's like a blind bat half of the time!"

"Take that back, you jerk!"

"Blind bat!"

"Broken compass!"

"Oh, for Zeus' sake, make them stop!" groaned Pit as he covered his ears.

Klein and Celsius' powers created a small barrier for them to proceed, although it was still as cold as it was before. Pit asked if Boreas wanted to come, but he turned the offer down. Something about wanting to just sit back and watch the news, which Pit interpreted as him just being lazy. Anyway, it didn't really matter. Only he and Sheba were journeying into the Aurora Glacier whenever they came across it. Pit was also taking this chance to look over the powers he had brought with him.

"So those are powers?" asked Sheba as she looked at him. "You don't seem to use them often."

"Well, sometimes I look just overpowering enemies with my brute strength." Pit grinned as he flexed his muscles a bit before laughing. "But I have been thinking a bit more about them as of late."

"Oh, and why is that?" asked Sheba.

"Well, you and almost everyone else can use magic to some extent. Meanwhile, I can't really use it outside of these powers. So, I decided that I gotta use what I have." said Pit. Sheba smiled at his words.

"That's admirable of you, and smart as well. You're probably not the type for magic, at least not until you can read." she giggled the last part.

"Yeah yeah, I know." Pit shrugged it off. He was starting to believe that he really should learn how. It was starting to get embarrassing now that more people heckled him about it.

However, in addition to this, Sheba had something else on her mind. A conversation she had with Boreas before they left.

_Flashback, about an hour earlier_

Sheba was just getting her coat on again when Boreas came across her, looking as jolly as ever.

"Ah, Sheba. You getting ready to go?" he asked.

"Yes sir. I just need another minute." she said back.

"No need to be so formal. I don't get many opportunities to talk to others besides my subordinates." chuckled Boreas.

"I'm kind of surprised that you can put up with those two." wondered Sheba.

"Ah, they're good people, and they do a great job together believe it or not." Boreas chuckled again before his face got a fond look on it. "You know, just looking at you, you remind me a lot of Lady Shiki."

Sheba's eyes widened as she looked back at Boreas.

"You knew my mother?" she asked incredulously.

"Yes, I did. You resemble her quite bit, in both looks and personality. She was quite the woman." sighed Boreas in reminisce. Sheba just turned her head though. Talking about her family wasn't exactly easy.

"As I recall, she gave you a sacred blade forged from her own power, right? Falchion, correct?" asked Boreas. Sheba weakly smiled and held up her gauntlets.

"This is Falchion now." she smiled. Boreas' eyes widened a bit.

"Huh? But I thought Falchion was an indestructible blade." he said.

"It was supposed to be, but I broke it by accident. I'm terrible with swords. Thankfully, Lord Dyntos helped me re-forge them into these gauntlets." said Sheba.

"Ha ha ha ha! You truly are an unpredictable one. Shiki was like that too. You could never tell what she was thinking." laughed Boreas before his face became more serious. "I assume that you haven't been in contact with….""

"Boreas!" Sheba nearly yelled out the name, catching him a bit off-guard. "I…I apologize for that. I just don't want to talk about it."

"No, it's alright. That's perfectly understandable. I apologize for bringing it up." said Boreas before turning to see Pit joining them. "You should be going now. I wish you luck in the future."

Sheba smiled at the North God's generosity.

"Thank you, milord."

_End flashback_

Sheba was soon brought of her flashback by Celsius' snapping fingers.

"Hey! Earth to Sheba! You in there?" she asked. Sheba shook her head at the sudden noise, nodding her head a lot as she did. Celsius raised an eyebrow but otherwise let it go. They all wanted to get out of here as quickly as possible after all.

After a little bit more walking, Pit started to see something in the distance; something that began to glow a bit, even in the whirling storm.

"Hey, is that…." Pit started.

"The Aurora Glacier. Beautiful, isn't it?" smirked Klein.

The Glacier was a little hard to see in the swirling winds, but Pit could make out most of it. Ice formations were everywhere, forming columns, and almost looking like some kind of ice castle. However, Pit could tell that a lot of it went underground too.

"How big is it?" asked Pit.

"Not that much digger can your typical castle, I imagine. We haven't been in there for a while ourselves. You should see it when the storm lifts. It's quite the spectacle." said Klein.

"Well, we'll have to take care of whatever is in there first." said Pit.

"Correct." Klein's face grew sterner as he looked at Pit. "Be careful though. I sense something very strange in there. I think it's coming from whatever is causing the storm. If it is, be extremely cautious."

"Why? They're probably just Legion of Time soldiers or Einherjar." said Pit. However, Klein just shook his head.

"I've sensed those before, but this is different. You probably can't tell, but this energy feels….chaotic. As if it's unstable or something. I feel much bloodlust in it. Whatever this thing is cannot be underestimated. So please be careful, Pit." warned Klein. Pit nodded at the warrior.

"I will, Klein. Sheba and I will take care of business and we will see you guys again." he smiled.

"I look forward to it." smiled Klein back, as the two guys shared a brief fist bump. The two girls finally caught up to the boys, as Sheba was filled in as well.

"Well, you ready?" asked Pit.

"As much as I ever will be." said Sheba.

And with that, the two of them entered the icy entrance of the Glacier, their trek for the Ice Gem well on its way now.

**(LINE BREAK)**

"All right, I'm standing above the storm now."

Pyrrhon was currently hovering over the storm at the Arctic Circle. After Palutena's failed attempts to contact Pit, Pyrrhon volunteered to check it out himself. Thinking that his naturally flamed body would help him, Palutena agreed and he was on his way. He was hovering above right now, about to charge in.

"Well, this little ice storm isn't going to keep Pyrrhon out. Have at you, ice storm!" he yelled as he began charging the storm. However, right as he did, something neither he nor Palutena expected happened. The freezing winds of the storm began to freeze his outstretched right hand, causing to fall back as it quickly melted away.

However, the very fact that it was frozen, even if for a split second, surprised Pyrrhon. Most things made of ice melted around him if they got within a few meters, but the fact that it was cold enough to freeze him for even that small amount of time was surprising.

"_**It must be many degrees below zero now."**_ said Palutena.

Now, Pyrrhon may be egotistical, but he wasn't stupid. Even he knew that he dived further into that storm, he'd most likely die in seconds. The ice storm would sap away any oxygen for fire almost instantly.

"So Pyrrhon can't help? Crud, well that's no good." he spoke to himself. He was in such a conundrum that he couldn't even come up with anything witty to say.

**(LINE BREAK)**

The majority of people there were shocked to see Luna standing before them, not quite looking the same as she did before. Her clothes were the same, but her demeanor looked totally different. The fact that she now had a spear in her hands as opposed to the parasol of old she had made quite a difference in terms of perception.

Not to mention the sheer force of the spell she unleashed. It was nothing like the others had seen.

"Luna? You mean the Goddess of the Moon?" asked Gwen. Luna turned and smiled at her.

"In the flesh." After that, she looked around, as if trying to find something. "Is Prometheus here yet? How about Pyrrha for that matter?"

"Um, no I don't think they've shown up." noted Iris. Luna sighed and face palmed her head.

"Honestly, they're taking THAT long? I had to learn two different weapons in the past months and they couldn't bother to show up before me?" Luna sighed again.

"Well, maybe they're stuck outside because of the barrier. Speaking of which, how did you get in here?" asked Iris.

"Oh, my mom sent a blast of hers down ahead of me to open the barrier before I arrived. Galaxy Spirits can do that you know?" she wagged a knowing finger at her.

However, Gwen wasn't really up to conversation.

"Not to interrupt your little reunion, but we've got a Monolith here." she muttered to them, keeping Ragnarok at the ready. Iris and Luna both got up as well.

"Yeah, you're right." said Iris.

Luna looked up at the sky, seeing the whale-like Ultima towering above her. She squinted a bit to see who was hovering around it, her eyes widening as she saw Amiti. Seeing his confident look made her begin to grit her teeth in annoyance.

"I've got a score to settle with that guy." she spat.

"You mean Amiti? Did something happen?" asked Gwen.

"He kind of kicked her and Prometheus' butt a few months ago." Iris laughed sheepishly, much to Luna's embarrassment.

"Thanks for the reminder." she groaned.

Meanwhile, Amiti just sneered at the group below him. So the Goddess of the Moon decided to make an appearance. He didn't see that coming but it was hardly a setback of any kind. After all, he had unfinished business after he allowed her and Prometheus to live back at the Valley of Hope so many months ago.

"Well, the Moon Goddess is back for another round. And with some new toys in tow as well." snickered Amiti as he floated closer to the ground. "I wonder if you'll be a better match this time."

"I've trained for quite a while. I'd like to think that you'll be the one on your back soon." threatened Luna as she readied her spear. Amiti took notice of its look.

"Ah, that would be Leviathan, correct? The ancient spear of the water dragon. So it ended up with the Galaxy Spirits up above, huh? Interesting." said Amiti as he readied Requiem.

"You talk too much sometimes. Iris, let's go!" shouted Luna.

"Right!" called Iris as she sprang along with Luna towards Amiti, both leaving Gwen behind. The girl watched as the two warriors flew into the air towards Amiti.

"And they don't even give me a second thought." groaned Gwen. However, she didn't get much time to think about it. She still had a bunch of Einherjar around her, and the ones that Iris was originally fighting were now focused on her.

"How nice of them. More for us. Ha ha ha ha ha!" laughed Ragnarok.

"You can see the joy on my face." deadpanned Gwen as she gripped Ragnarok and stormed at the remaining Einherjar. She wanted a piece of Amiti as well.

**(LINE BREAK)**

"Lightning Punishment!"

Aki pounded his hammer against the barrier formed around the Underworld, hoping to break through it. However, it didn't budge a bit.

"This doesn't seem to be working." sighed Phosphora. The two of them offered to see if they could punch a hole in the barrier, but it didn't work so far. Aki was really getting impatient. He was the son of Thor for heaven's sake. Why couldn't he break through this?

"The Underworld might be done for if we don't get in there." he groaned.

"You don't think they'll win on their own?" asked Phosphora. "We may not have Pit or Pittoo down there, but Iris and Luna are more than capable."

"Maybe, but I'm more worried about that Monolith. If there's one thing I know about the Legion, it's that they don't make the same mistake twice. I imagine this Monolith is far more powerful than Orphan was." worried Aki.

"I guess we'll just have to trust our friends." said Phosphora, trying to hide her own worry.

**(LINE BREAK)**

Pit and Sheba walked down the steps into the Aurora Glacier, as they began wandering through its halls. They were….eerie to say the least. What seemed like crystal adorned the walls and pathways, and mirrors seemed commonplace in some areas. It was like some kind of crystal palace inside the Glacier, and Pit wasn't all that fond of it.

"Oh great, is this another Zelda rip-off?" groaned Pit.

"Actually, I think it's a Paper Mario rip-off." smiled Sheba. Pit just groaned again.

"Well, ain't that just great. I can't tell left from right in here. Couldn't Klein and Celsius just come along?" asked Pit.

"I think Klein said something like "If we guided you through, that'd make it too easy. We don't like handholding" or something like that." quoted Sheba.

"What a load of….well, never mind. So, got any ideas?" asked Pit.

"Well…" Sheba couldn't really figure much out. The mirrors and hallways were giving her an odd sense of vertigo. Not only that, she was worried that they had still not come across any Legion soldiers, unless the monster causing the blizzard was the only guest here.

Pit walked a ways into the next room, seeing pathways that extended over large chasms. Things didn't seem to make sense along the walls. On his left, he'd see one thing, and then something totally different on the other. If these were mirrors, then why would they be showing different things? Pit tried giving it some thought. He didn't have Palutena to help him through the puzzles. He'd have to do this on his own for once.

"I wonder. Something doesn't seem right here." said Pit.

"What are you doing?" asked Sheba.

"A little hunch I've got." said Pit. He walked straight up to one of the walls, knocking on it a bit. He nodded to himself as he did so, confusing Sheba even more. However, he soon jumped back and gathered energy in his hands.

"Mega Laser!"

The magical blast impacted the wall, blowing it to bits as a hidden room was revealed to them.

"Woah!" said Sheba as she ran over. "How did you know that?"

"The wall sounded kind of hollow, so I figured I'd blow it up. Like Lady Palutena told me once, "sometimes walls may lie", or something like that anyway." smiled Pit.

"Heh, could have fooled me." smiled Sheba.

One puzzle down, who knows how many to go.

**(LINE BREAK)**

"How do you think they're doing?" asked Klein as he and Celsius were making their way back.

"Eh, they'll be fine. That Pit guy has seen through his fair share of dungeons, I imagine." said Celsius with her hands behind her head.

"Yeah, but whatever's in that place must be pretty strong. I imagine that it will be quite the show." said Klein.

The two of them then stopped, smirking at each other.

"Wanna go watch?" asked Celsius.

"After you."

**(LINE BREAK)**

"Haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhh!"

Luna cried out as she lashed out with her spear against Amiti's Requiem, the impact of the two weapons creating a shockwave through the area. Iris came from the other side, trying to hit his blind side. Bringing up his left arm, Amiti blocked the attack, forcing them both away.

"Guess I'll have to bring in my spare. It's been a while." said Amiti as he pulled into his pocket, pulling out what seemed to be just a sword handle. However, energy formed around it, until a light blue energy in the shape of a broadsword formed.

"He just had to have another sword." muttered Luna. "Oh well."

Luna charged forward, making use of Leviathan's twin blades to relentlessly attack Amiti. However, he could block twice as well now with the two swords he carried. The second sword, Zwei, was lighter and quicker than Requiem, allowing Amiti to use it more effectively in conjunction with Requiem. Luna didn't let this get to her, pouring energy into Leviathan as blue dragon-like beings of energy formed around her blades.

"Rising Dragons!"

The two forms shot out from the blades, roaring towards Amiti. Requiem blocked one shot, but the second dragon grazed his sides, causing him to grimace as he saw it coming back for a second strike. He flipped in the air as it shot past him, allowing him to slice through it with Zwei. Iris used the opportunity to strike at Amiti directly. However, the fact that the two girls were starting to gain ground on him didn't sit well with him, as he unleashed a burst of energy to force distance between him and them.

"Not bad. To think that you learned so much in few months. You truly do have a gifted lineage to be in possession of such power." said Amiti.

"I'd rather not talk about the weapons. Just that I'm going to get payback for what you did last time to Prometheus." glared Luna.

"Prometheus. Oh yes, now I remember him." pondered Amiti in a mocking tone. "I haven't seen him in so long. I long figured he ran away like a frightened puppy."

To put it lightly, Amiti's words were just making Luna angrier. She immediately turned to Iris.

"Iris, do you think you could get to Ultima and find a way to dispel the barrier? Most of it is a machine after all, so something has to be controlling the barrier." Luna spoke.

"Ah, I see what you mean. But can you take him alone?" she asked.

"Don't worry about me. Just go." said Luna, who immediately charged back into battle.

"Luna…" Iris trailed off as the girl engaged Amiti again. She was about to turn towards Ultima when she felt a tap on her shoulder. Gwen was hovering next to her.

"Gwen, are you done?" she asked.

"Yeah, more or less." spoke Gwen. Her armor had some holes here and there, showing obvious wear and tear. Still, it appeared to be holding up well enough. "I'll come with you to Ultima. The sooner we get the barrier down, the sooner we can get reinforcements."

"Sounds like a plan." said Iris as they began a route to Ultima.

Luna's spear matched Amiti blow for blow, although she could feel her stamina beginning to wane. Even with the new strength, she was never one for endurance. She'd have to resort to magic sometime soon before she became too physically exhausted.

"Freeze Lancer!"

Luna's signature ice attack impaled Amiti in a couple places, although it was hardly enough to slow him down. He turned to the side to see Iris and Gwen flying towards Ultima.

"Ultima, unleash everything you have." he said calmly.

At once, what appeared to be additional cannons appeared through Ultima's arms and head, locking on to the two incoming figures.

"Uh oh." said Iris.

"Looks like it's preparing a welcome for us." spoke Gwen with Ragnarok at the ready.

At once, Ultima's new cannons began firing at the two girls, hardly giving them a chance to even catch their breath. The attacks they dodged continued to rain down on the Underworld Sanctuary, leveling another tower on the west side. They began to realize that they couldn't continue to be reckless, lest they bring the whole place down.

However, through the lasers, Iris squinted and saw something. There were some small structures on top of Ultima's head, kind of like a tiny tower. A glowing light was there, and she had a hunch about what it was.

"Gwen! I think whatever is holding the barrier is right there!" she pointed at the spot for Gwen to see.

"Hmm, you might be right. Can't be wrong to check." said Gwen.

Meanwhile, Luna continued matching blows with Amiti, alternating physical attacks with her ranged Ice spells.

"Your spells don't have much effect on me. I guess Forseti took a lot of energy from you." smirked Amiti, clutching both of his blades.

"I can do it again if I want. I've always been known for my efficiency." smiled Luna. "For example, Glacier Core!"

Orbs of ice appeared around Luna, forming two glyphs at her sides. As her magic welled up, the two glyphs unleashed two massive waves of ice energy, causing Amiti to try and block both blasts.

"Grr….urg….grah….so much power." he groaned as he struggled against the twin blasts.

This energy was becoming too much for even him to handle, taking all he had to try and deflect the waves away, leaving him slightly out of breath. Looking over to Luna, she was twirled her spear around, more ice particles forming.

"So, what do you think?" Luna smirked at Amiti. He gritted his teeth while also regaining his composure. Luna just smirked again as she stopped twirling.

"So, ready to continue?"

**(END)**

**Well, I hope you all enjoyed that. Things are getting good now. Luna is displaying much more confidence and skills than we saw before. And Pit even demonstrates some level of puzzle solving. A tiny bit anyway. **

**And we even get a tiny bit on Sheba's own backstory. More on that to come. :)  
**

**And as Sheba suggested, if you want to imagine the inside of the Aurora Glacier, it's very similar to the Crystal Palace from Paper Mario 64. Another excellent game in my opinion. **

**Hope you all enjoy and review as always.**

**Sentinel07, out!**


	38. Chapter 31: Expect the Unexpected

**Hello people! Sentinel07 here with Chapter 31 of Kid Icarus: The Great War.**

**_Italics means a character's personal thoughts._**

**_Bold and italics refers to quotes using telepathy._**

**Make sure you keep reading those AN's at the bottom for anything that might be upcoming.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Kid Icarus or any other referenced video game or anime.**

**Holy cow, how long has it been since we all last met? Being a college student sucks sometimes. Anyway, I'm still dedicated to getting this done. What else does a single college guy like myself have to do anyway?**

**Anyway, hope you all are still hanging around and enjoy this very late chapter of mine. **

**This chapter is named after a line from one of my favorite anime as a child. Ah, good times.**

**Roll it!**

**(BEGIN)**

**Chapter 31: Expect the Unexpected**

Deep within the depths of the Aurora Glacier, one feral beast laid in wait. The ice storm whipped around its body as it waited. Two beings had entered the sanctuary; two strong beings. The beast seemingly grinned in response.

"Time….key.." it growled.

**(LINE BREAK)**

"How far have we traveled now?" asked Pit.

"How should I know? I don't have a map." sighed Sheba.

The two of them had continued trying to find their way towards the center of the Glacier. After Pit casually destroyed the wall with his Mega Laser, they had found a hidden path inwards. Of course, the path didn't exactly get any easier. The reflections of light inside the Glacier skewed their vision somewhat, making it harder to find certain paths.

"Why can't there be an off-switch in here?" groaned Sheba.

"Low budget?" suggested Pit, getting a shrug from Sheba. She wasn't in the mood to argue about it. Still, it actually did bring back something Sheba wanted to ask earlier.

"Hey Pit?"

"Yeah?"

"I've been meaning to ask you this for a while. You're always using that same Bow of Palutena, aren't you?" she asked.

"Yep. It's my old reliable in a way."

"But, back in Kid Icarus: Uprising, you had several weapons at your disposal, right? Why don't you use any of them?" she asked.

Pit blushed a bit at the question, causing Sheba to raise an eyebrow in confusion.

"Well, I sort of….don't have them anymore." he said bashfully.

"Huh? Why?"

"Lady Palutena sold them. She had to pay rent."

"What? Palutena has to pay rent?!"

"Long story. Don't ask." Pit raised a hand, showing that he didn't want to talk about that subject. "And if you're going to ask "Why not get more?" well Dyntos has been selling more weapons as of late, so he's increased prices. He calls it "inflation", supposedly."

"Jerk." said Sheba.

"Tell me about it." nodded Pit. "Anyway, aside from my bow, all I have are a pair of Viridi claws. I convinced Lady Palutena not to sell them."

"Oh, and why is that?"

"Because they're awesome. When I used them in the Hades War, they paralyzed everything in sight. I was ripping through enemies like Wolverine." Pit smiled, giving his best slashing imitation. Sheba found this intriguing.

"So why don't you use them if you still have them?" she asked.

"Well…the last time I used them, Viridi had come for a visit. When she saw me using them, she slapped me upside the head and told me to not use them anymore. Her face was really red when she said that. Maybe she was sick." pondered Pit.

"_Lovesick probably."_ thought Sheba.

"Well anyway, that's my story. I haven't gotten any more weapons. Truth be told," Pit looked at his bow, which was showing some wear and tear. "I do think it could be time to get a new one. Believe it or not, this isn't very good in close combat, even though it can become two blades."

"Interesting, so what kind of weapon would you go for?" asked Sheba.

"Well, I liked all the weapon kinds, but I especially liked the swords and claws. They were both strong and fast. In fact, Lady Palutena first gave me a sword during Uprising. I'd like to get another one of those." smiled Pit.

"Hee hee, perhaps you will." smiled Sheba.

Right as they said that, the room around them began to shake fiercely, setting them off balance.

"W-What's going on?!" cried Pit.

"I don't know!"

Right as they yelled, the floor beneath them gave way, and the two of them fell into a dark abyss. Pit watched as Sheba vanished from his sight completely.

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

As the two heroes fell into the unknown, two spectators watched from above.

"Guess this place is as tricky as ever." grinned Klein.

"So worth the price of admission." giggled Celsius. "Now give me that popcorn!"

**(LINE BREAK)**

Out of the newly formed crater, Amiti crawled out, carrying Requiem in his right hand and trying to hold himself up. The previous attack was a direct blow on him; taking out a chunk of whatever health he had remaining. Gritting his teeth, he glared at Luna, who hovered just above the ground.

"You…..you think you've won, haven't you?" Amiti breathed.

"Well, I like to think that I have you on your heels." smirked Luna, twirling Leviathan. Amiti growled even more, sheathing Zwei and flying back to her.

"You're not using your other sword?" asked Luna.

"That's only good for having multiple opponents. It's easier to concentrate with just Requiem." spoke Amiti, his giant claymore glowing again. "Now then….."

With a roar, Amiti soared back towards Luna, their weapons clashing against each other fiercely. Luna brushed off his sword, attempting to hit him in the side. However, Amiti grabbed the spear with his hand, forcing it away as he swung Requiem around for another shot. Still, Luna ducked as the claymore slashed above her, allowing to kick upwards towards Amiti's jaw.

"Ugh!" Amiti was forced back by the blow to the face, staggering him for a bit. He quickly recovered though and encased Requiem in flames.

"Devil's Maw!"

Amiti slammed Requiem against the ground, causing a blue burst of energy to surge towards Luna. She attempted to block the attack, but the sheer energy of the attack sent her flying backwards. Immediately, Amiti was on her tail, roundhouse kicking her into the side of the Sanctuary.

"Ugh, ow. That hurt." groaned Luna as she climbed out of the wall.

"Don't think that you've won so easily. I'm one of Lord Kronos' Great Generals. I won't fall so easily to such a minor goddess." growled Amiti. There was no hint of teasing in his voice. He was dead serious. Luna scoffed as she got out of the wall and readied Leviathan.

"Likewise, I'm not one to mess around either." she stared at him.

**(LINE BREAK)**

"They seem pretty evenly matched." said Gwen from the top of Ultima. She and Iris had made it past Ultima's cannon fire, reaching the tower-like structure that rested on top of Ultima. It was the source of the barrier that kept everyone else out.

"Amiti has stepped it up though. You think she can hold him?" asked Iris.

"Who knows. What I do know is that we need to take care of the barrier. Hopefully, once we knock it out, Pit and the others can come in and give us a hand. Even I don't like our chances alone." said Gwen.

"Right, so let's go." said Iris.

The two girls flew towards the tower-like structure on Ultima's top, with Gwen having Ragnarok firing a blast at the side to give them an entrance to fly through. The blast impacted the wall, allowing them a decently-sized hole to swoop in and land inside.

It wasn't a pretty sight.

"Ew!" whined Iris.

The inside of Ultima wasn't exactly paradise. I guess it would be what you would expect of something made of both metal and flesh. It gave the term "belly of the beast" a new meaning. Gwen put it best.

"This looks like a grotesque graveyard. And I thought the beasts Hades created with all those human souls were ugly." she spat out.

"Yuck! This place is nasty!" cried Ragnarok. "Not even I would eat the souls in here."

"But what is such a place doing in the hands of the Legion? They don't command deal souls like the Underworld." said Iris.

"We've don't have the luxury of time to figure that out. Let's go." said Gwen. Iris reluctantly nodded.

Truth be told, you could hardly guess that the beast was supposed to be a machine. Iris could swear that she was seeing dead people flying around her, although Gwen wasn't as effected.

"What are you so worked up about? groaned Gwen.

"I see dead people." whined Iris.

"You're the Lady of the Underworld. You always see dead people!" yelled Gwen, raising her voice for perhaps the first time in a while.

"Not flying around me though." spoke Iris. She didn't like the place one bit. "Not only that, but do you even know where we are?"

"Well….that's obvious. We're….um…." Gwen looked around, seeing nothing but the same walls. "Um…where are we again?"

"WHY ARE YOU ASKING ME?!" Iris's scream echoed off the walls of the Monolith, seemingly going on forever.

"Relax, we've find it eventually. If worst comes to worst, I'll blast open another hole in the wall and we'll fly out." said Gwen.

"You're way too casual with this." sighed Iris. "I wish Pit was here with me."

"You're really fixated on him, you know? Is there something between you too?" Iris could sense that Gwen was smirking beneath her helmet.

"W-What?! No, we're just good friends." sputtered Iris.

"Ain't that a fact? Well, whatever." shrugged Gwen. The last thing she needed was getting involved in others romance. Trust me, she tried once. Didn't work out.

However, Gwen wasn't holding up well either. She was seeing things as well, including images of….well….someone she hoped to never see again. She shook her head when she saw the images, opening her eyes to see that they were now gone. She sighed in relief.

"Are you okay?" asked Iris.

"I'm fine. Just getting some things off my mind." replied Gwen.

The two of them continued walking in silence, just hearing their footsteps against the ground and the creaks and cracks of the behemoth. Iris' courage wasn't holding up well though. Maybe it was because of her time with Pit and the others, but she wasn't as immune to the horrors of the Underworld and other such places like she used to.

Then suddenly, they heard a scream:

"**RAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"**

Both girls instantly jumped, with Iris holding on to Gwen for dear life. That was the most horrifying sound Gwen had ever heard, and that was saying something. It didn't even sound human, kind of more like a monster.

"W-W-W-What was that?!" cried Iris.

"I-I don't know." Gwen was a little shaken from the shriek.

Suddenly, another similar shriek ravaged through the halls, echoing off of everything. It wasn't anything they had heard of before.

"Something's out there." spoke Gwen.

"Then let's go get it. Eat its soul." spoke Ragnarok.

"Calm down, Ragnarok. I don't have time for you." retorted Gwen.

Then, as if the shrieks weren't enough, they heard…..something. It wasn't loud, but rather it was a singular small noise, like an insect. But then, it multiplied, becoming two sounds. Then it was four. Then it was eight. Soon enough, the small sounds were becoming to converge into one loud noise.

"What is it now?" yelled Gwen.

Suddenly, Iris could see things moving along the walls of where they were. It appeared to be a small insect-like creature. However, more insects popped out. And then more came out, blending into the darkness of the hall. Iris noticed them, but Gwen didn't.

"G-G-G-Gwen…." stuttered Iris.

"What is it?

"T-T-T-They…c-c-c-coming…."

"Coming? Coming what?" asked Gwen. Finally, Iris snapped.

"THEY'RE COMING OUT OF THE WALLS!"

**(LINE BREAK)**

Pit groggily got to his feet as he finally regained consciousness. That was a nasty fall that he and Sheba took. He apparently saw himself in another part of the Aurora Glacier, the walls as cold and unyielding as before.

"Sheba? SHEBA?!"

Pit called out into the area, his cries echoing off the many walls. No reply came, which made Pit worry. Steadying himself on his feet, he slowly walked away, not wanting to stay in the same spot for long. His legs hurt a bit, perhaps from the fall, but it didn't bother him too much. His pain threshold was pretty good after all the wars he's been through.

Suddenly, he heard good news.

"Pit?! PIT!"

Pit turned to his left, seeing Sheba running towards him. He instantly smiled as she approached.

"Sheba! You're alright, aren't you?" he asked.

"Yeah, that fall was nothing at all." she smiled cutely.

"Well, that's good." said Pit, taking another look around. "Now we still gotta find the center of the Glacier. Got any ideas?"

To Pit's surprise, Sheba gave him a weird smile. He couldn't put his finger on it, but something seemed….odd about it.

"Oh, I found something alright. It's just over this way." she pointed behind her, casually walking towards it.

Pit raised an eyebrow at her. Why was Sheba acting so casual? She was normally pretty stone-faced half the time. Still, he shrugged it off. Maybe she landed wrong or something, or perhaps she was feeling very confident. He didn't exactly know her long enough to know what made her tick after all.

"It's right over here." said Sheba, pointing over to a door, kind of like those in a Zelda dungeon.

"What's in there?" asked Pit.

"Just go." she insisted.

Pit gave her an odd look, but decided to follow her anyway. Pit walked through the door into another area, a rather unique one for that matter. This one featured a small ice path over a pit of flame. The flames were a mix of blue and purple, giving them an odd look.

"So what did you want me to see?" asked Pit.

"It's down there." Sheba pointed down into the pit of flames. Pit immediately stepped back.

"Woah woah woah! Down there? No offense Sheba, but I'm not fireproof." said Pit, waving his hands back and forth.

"Are you saying you don't trust me?" spoke Sheba, giving Pit a hurt look with a bit of a pout. He immediately felt guilty.

"Well, it's nothing like that. It's just that…well….a pit of flame doesn't usually say good things." said Pit.

"What if I said that it's a secret path to the center?" asked Sheba. Pit's eyes widened at that statement.

"Woah, really?" he asked.

"Of course. Down there is a secret path. Jump down, and you'll be at the center. Easy peasy." she smiled.

Pit liked the idea of a shortcut, although he still had doubts. I mean, he could trust Sheba, right? He didn't have any reason to doubt her, right? Slowly, he began taking a step towards the edge, giving one last look at the flames before beginning to step in…

"PIT! NO!"

Suddenly, Pit was tackled to the ground, his backside landing painfully on the ground as another figure laid on top of him. After he finally stopped sliding, Pit groggily looked up to see who rammed him. He gasped when he did.

Was he seeing things? There were TWO Shebas?!

"What's going on here?" Pit cried out. Two identical versions of his friend were standing right in front of him, glaring at each other.

**(AN: Just in case this confuses you, Sheba#1 means the one Pit was just with, and Sheba#2 is the one who came in and tackled him.)**

"What the heck are you doing to my friend?" spoke Sheba#2, who tackled him.

"Me? What are you doing, you imposter?! Don't interfere with us!" shouted Sheba#1.

"You were about to send him to his death! I'm not letting that happen!" said Sheba#2 as she readied Falchion. The other Sheba readied hers too.

"You're just trying to keep us from getting to the center. You're just another trap of the Glacier!"

"You're the trap!"

The two Shebas charged towards each other, the impact of their fists echoing against the walls. The two were evenly matched, echoing each other in terms of moves and style. Pit couldn't keep track. Which one was which? And was he just about to fall to his own death?

Suddenly, Sheba#2 slammed Sheba#1 against the wall.

"Isn't it time you gave up this charade?" smirked Sheba#2.

The other Sheba growled at her. Pit watched in shock as the other Sheba's form slowly faded to something else, revealing a white being with a ghost-like appearance. It's enraged facial expression didn't change one bit.

"Just as I thought. You're a Duplighost." smiled Sheba. The Duplighost growled again before fading into the wall, leaving the duo alone. Pit had no clue what just happened.

"Okay, what just happened?!" Pit yelled as Sheba calmed down.

"That was a Duplighost. They're ghost-like beings who inhabit the Glacier. They can take on the form of just about anything. And they've lured many to their deaths due to how convincing their imitations are." spoke Sheba.

"Wow, that's quite a trick." spoke Pit.

"Still, I'm surprised you fell for that." Sheba shook her head at Pit. "I mean really, a pit of flame serving as a secret path?"

"I've heard weirder." defended Pit.

"Whatever." shrugged Sheba. "Anyway, I'm sure that this path is the real path. Don't fall into the fire, but this pathway is the correct one."

"Wait, how do I know that you're not a Duplighost yourself?" Pit narrowed his eyes at her suspiciously.

Sheba responded by punching him in the head. Painfully.

"Yep….you're Sheba." groaned Pit.

After the encounter with the Duplighost, Pit and Sheba continued on their path, hopefully not running into more of those beings. As they walked further in, they began hearing growling.

"Could that be?" Pit started.

"The beast who's controlling the ice storms, I imagine. You ready?" smiled Sheba with her gauntlets on.

"Ready to go!"

As the two began their final rush towards the boss, Klein and Celsius kept watching.

"Do you think we should have told them about the ghosts?" asked Celsius with a mouthful of popcorn.

"Nah, it was funnier this way. Besides, if he really fell, I'd get him out." replied Klein, taking a fistful himself.

**(LINE BREAK)**

Luna and Amiti's battle continued outside, with every blow emitting more shockwaves around them. The two of them hadn't used much magic at all, mostly resorting to physical combat. Neither of them really gave the other a chance to use magic anyway.

"You seem a little winded." smirked Luna.

"This is nothing to me." Amiti barked back, forcing his claymore towards Luna.

Amiti hadn't drawn Zwei again since he sheathed it, focusing squarely on Requiem. It was the best move for him, given his strength when he was able to hold Requiem with both hands. Luna caught one of Requiem's edges with her spear and thrusted it upwards towards Amiti, allowing her a shot at Amiti's sides. She slammed one of Leviathan's edges into Amiti's side, giving him a sizable wound.

"Ugh! Ack! Blast it!"

Amiti forced Luna away and tried slamming her with multiple blows. Truth be told, Luna was not the type for head-on fighting. Her endurance wasn't great. She needed a finishing strike, and fast.

"Hope this works." she spoke to herself.

As Amiti struck her with a fierce strike, Luna hovered downwards a bit to avoid another strike. Instantly, she soared back upwards, delivering a kick to Amiti, stunning him briefly. Before he could recover though, she poured magic into her fist and slammed it into his gut, right before giving him another to his face, sending him ramming into the ground. It was time for the finishing blow.

"Forseti!"

Luna gathered what magic she could in a matter of seconds and shot it towards the ground, impacting Amiti and the ground in a ravaging blast of ice. The shockwave of the blast even impacted other battles going around them, blowing them away. Luna hovered, trying to catch her breath, as she watched the ice, silently.

"Did I get him?"

Suddenly, a huge surge of malice erupted around her, manifesting in dark blue and purple flames that slowly turned black. Cracks in the ice formed, as a hand burst through the ice coffin, erupting even more malice into Luna's face. Her face showed both surprise and worry.

"No. All I did was make him angry."

A dark being slowly rose from beneath the ice coffin, slowly growing as it did. The beings form didn't look that human anymore, with a wolf-like appearance taking its place. It's claymore, Requiem, still firm in its hand. The being, still clouded by the black aura, glared at Luna, its fangs baring.

"**I…..I'm gonna…..I'M GONNA RIP YOU APART!"**

**(END)**

**Uh oh, made him mad! So many things to look forward to. **

**Oh, and I'm pretty sure some of you will catch the Alien reference. Yeah, Gwen and Iris' walk through the insides of Ultima was slightly inspired by Alien, as I wanted to give it a horror feel to it. However, I haven't seen that movie, so I'm guessing. If I did, the gore would probably give me nightmares.**

**Oh, and yes, Dyntos is officially the inventor of inflation. It is now a hardcore fact, because I said it is. Have any problems? Blame him.**

**So, I hope you all liked my gallant return to writing. School is a pain though, so who knows how frequent updates will be.**

**So, enjoy and review. This is Sentinel07, and I'm signing out!**


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